Harry Potter and Salizar's Other Heir
by Twisted3LJW
Summary: A few days before Harrys 16th birthday he gets an unexpected visitor at privet drive while his aunt and Uncle are away, It's Hermione. Saving her life once again, they start to realize that maybe a friendship isn't just all they have with eachother. With
1. Freedom Week

Chapter 1: Freedom Week

Awakened in a bed soaked with sweat Harry sat straight up and cursed himself. "3:17 am? Fuck it! I hate having these stupid nightmares."

He slowly rose out of bed, turned on the light and straightened out the pink bunny boxers that Aunt Marge had given Dudley last Christmas.

Looking in the full length mirror he thanked Merlin that none of his friends saw him in these hideous girly underwear. "No wonder Dudley didn't want them."

Continuing his eyes up the mirror trying to push the dream out of his mind, he noticed that he had gained some muscle these past 4 weeks. His abdomen was starting to form a defined six pack, his shoulders and chest appeared to be broader, and his arms were now to the point where he didn't have to try to flex anymore, you could just see the muscle in them.

Looking now at his pale sweaty face he realized that he couldn't risk going back to sleep again, this was the second nightmare about Sirius he had tonight (one of a hundred he has had since the incident). Walking over to his bed he slipped into his pajama pants, and quietly slipped out the door.

Stepping ever so lightly down the hall he listened for Vernon's horrible snores. Harry realized as his head started to spin that he had been holding his breath the whole time. 

Finally hearing a loud snoring noise, he let go of his breath and continued down the hallway, down the stairs, and into the basement. Turning on the light switch, he happily went to work. Dudley's weight training set was untouchable to Harry, but what Dudley doesn't know wont hurt him.

At 4:57 he finally had tired himself out from a vigorous work out. He walked quickly but quietly up the stairs and into his room.

As he shut the door he silently cursed under his breath as he heard his Uncles alarm clock going off.

"That was a close one" He thought to himself. Laying back down in his bed he waited ten minutes with a wide smile on his face.

Soon enough there was that familiar knock at the door.

"Boy, Wake your lazy ass up. You need to make breakfast while your Aunt and I pack up the car" Vernon's loud voice boomed.

Harry was all too happy to oblige, for in less than an hour, he would have a Vernon and Petunia free house for a whole WEEK! Yes, Dudley was still home, but Harry could get around him easily.

Smiling even wider as the car drove away with Petunia sobbing like mad for leaving Dudley at home for her second honeymoon, Harry turned to face Dudley.

"I'm going to go watch television" Dudley announced to him sleepily. "I would appreciate it if you stayed in your room tonight, I'm having some friends over, and I don't want any funny business" he said sounding more like his father than he knew.

"What's the matter Duds afraid I'll give your mates something to laugh about at your expense? OINK OINK."

Harry had left him standing in the drive way with a horror stricken look on his face, obviously remembering Hagrid's little piggy tail he gave him nearly 6 years back.

Sitting upstairs most of the morning Harry looked through the letters he got over the last few weeks.

Hermione had one waiting at his house for him before he even got home from the station 4 weeks ago, and she had sent two letters a week since.

Out of all the letters he got from every one, her letters were the only ones that didn't directly mention Sirius. He was glad. He was not ready to talk about him yet, with anyone, and she had been the only one who seemed to understand that.

She wrote that she was thinking about him and hoped he was doing better, and she hoped she would see him soon. He hadn't written her back yet, or any one else for that matter.

He began to feel guilty, "I should write to her before she yells at me" he thought. He began to write her a long guilty letter.

At about lunch time Harry came down from his room to make something to eat, and laughed at the site he saw. Dudley was at the kitchen table with the entire contents of the refrigerator in front of him devouring everything in site.

"So much for that diet there Duds" he mocked.

"Shut your trap, and keep in that way. Don't even think about taking any of this food, its ALL MINE. Mum said so before she left."

"Yeah Dud, but I think she meant for it to last a whole week, not 5 hours", Harry laughed.

"Hey look Dud, Air" he said while pointing in the direction behind where Dudley sat. Dudley quickly turned his body around in his chair and yelled "What, WHERE?"

Now was his chance, Harry quickly grabbed 2 chicken drumsticks, 2 biscuits, and a bottle of soda, and sprinted into the hallway.

As he was running up the stairs he finally heard his oversized stupid cousin yelling about not seeing any air anywhere. Laughing out loud he ran into his room and began eating his lunch, saving the biscuits for Hedwig when she got back from Dumbledore.

Dumbledore had sent a note to him saying that he overrode the Ministry of Magic so that the sixth year students could practice magic out side of school during break, with only a few spells, and precautions being on the do not do list.

Harry sent Hedwig because he wanted to be doubly sure that he was able to do magic before he tried it, no need to get into trouble again so soon. It seemed as though he thought about the letter, Hedwig appeared pecking at his window.

Opening it and letting her in he said excitedly, "Hey girl, I have something for you" and he crumpled up the biscuit in her cage as she nipped at his finger tips.

Reading Dumbledore's note he smiled, this was almost as good a feeling as when his Aunt and Uncle left. He could practice magic outside of school!

A loud ring at the door bell pulled Harry out of his day dream. He had been remembering his last quidditch match. How he longed to be on his firebolt racing through the air, chasing a little golden snitch. Looking over at his clock it was 2:45 in the afternoon.

"Isn't it a little early for Dudley's friends to come over?"

After the third ring on the door bell Harry got up and threw on his pants grabbing his shirt off the floor. He buttoned his jeans as he walked down the stairs, and yelled "hold on."

He had started to put his arms into his shirt as he grabbed the handle of the front door and pulled it opened.

Looking down as he finished putting his shirt on the only thing he saw was a girls feet in white platform sandals. Slowly looking up her long lean legs and into her face, he saw who it was and his closed mouth fell open immediately.

Maybe it was because he had not seen her in a month, but she looked different. Her hair wasn't bushy anymore, it was in calmed loose curls, and highlighted naturally buy the sun. Her plain white V-neck t-shirt was form fitting and he noticed curves on her that were not there last time he checked and in this sunlight, he could almost see through it. Her shorts were also baring slender tanned thighs and legs.

He was shell shocked to say the least. Blushing slightly when he realized he was on the verge of drawling over his best friend he finally looked into her familiar chocolate brown eyes. 

"Hermione?"

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	2. Dudley's Party

Chapter 2: Dudleys Party

"Wha? Uhhhhhhhhhh, What are you doing here" he said, then saw her smiling face fall.

"I mean I'm glad to see you, but this is unexpected, how did you get here, it must have taken forever?"

"Harry shut up, you're babbling" Hermione said with a quick smirk. "Well are you going to just stand their and block the door way, or are you gonna invite me in?"

"Oh, of course, come in" he said brightly. As he watched her walk in, he noticed luggage. "Hermione why are all of your school things with you? Are, Are you staying here?"

"Well if your Aunt and Uncle don't mind I was hopin-" But Harry cut her off grinning at the idea of Hermione spending a few days with him alone.

"There away, you can stay as long as you want." Harry never got to spend any time with her alone, they were always surrounded by people, or with Ron, and for some reason (now especially) he wanted to be alone with her, though he wasn't sure why.

"Harry, where can I put my stuff?" she asked as he led her to his room.

After hours of talking about their summer vacation so far, and casual conversation Hermione's eyes settled on the letters on Harry's desk.

"So I see you got my letters, and opened them. Why haven't you responded? You had me worried."

Harry smiled, "I just started to write you a letter to apologize."

"Harry don't lie to me, I don't appreciate it," she said making a sour face.

He got up and walked over to her at the desk pulling out the parchment he had been writing her letter on, "Here." She just smiled up at him and she began to read the letter he wrote her.

They finally made their way back down the stairs only to see Dudley's "few" friends that were coming over had arrived. This was no small gathering, it seemed the whole town was here, including all of Dudley's thug friends.

Hermione glanced nervously at Harry, "Um, Harry, were you having a party, do you know all of these people?"

"No Hermione, this is all my cousins doing", Harry said watching his cousin do a keg stand in the middle of the living room floor.

As they descended the rest of the way down the stairs Harry heard Hermione gasp.

"OH MY!" Following her gaze he saw what had her in shock, 3 girls and 2 guys were half naked and playing a card game, one of the girls was in the process of taking off her last remaining garment.

"Well, Uhhhhhh, lets go into the kitchen Harry," Hermione grabbed his arm and pulled, as she realized that Harry was starring way too intently with his mouth hanging open.

In the kitchen was a wide array of junk food, and drinks. Hermione was pouring herself a glass of diet coke when- "Hey sweet thang, why don't you come sit right here", said Dudley while patting his lap.

Hermione looking horrified turned to Harry leaving her drink at the table. He was smiling. "WHAT?" He asked her.

"You find this amusing, your cousin drunkenly hits on me and you find it funny?"

"Well Hermione he is drunk, and he is Dudley, I wouldn't take to much offense." With that she grabbed a hand full of pretzels and went back to get her drink.

After about 20 minutes of fighting his way through the crowd from the bathroom, Harry found Hermione sitting on a stool in the kitchen humming to her self.

"Hey, you wouldn't believe what I had to go through to get into my own bathroom," he said to her.

"HARRY! I'm so happy to see you," she said as she fell off the stool. "Whoops, sorry buddy," she said as she fell onto the floor.

"Hermione, are you okay?"

"I FEEL GREAT! AND HOT, am I hot, do I look hot to you Harry, I feel hot Harry is it hot in here Harry? Harry…. Hehehe I like saying that name, Harry, Harry, Harry, Harry, Harr-."

"Hermione are you drunk? I have only been gone for 20 minutes." he asked her.

"Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, I only had a diet coke, This one right here to be prezzis, no preciz, no precise, there we go… oops."

Her hand had knocked right into the cup, and spilled out what was left in it. Picking up the red plastic cup Harry noticed something odd stuck to the bottom of it. It looked like crushed up pill remains.

"Hermione, I think you have been drugged!"  
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"WHAT ARE YOUR BOYS CARRYING DUDLEY?" Harry now had him by the neck, Dudley was too drunk to fight back.

"I don't know what you're talking about, we just got beer" he laughed. Harry dropped his grip realizing that this was a loosing battle.

Desperately searching the crowd he found what he was looking for. There was a guy sitting in the center of all the other guys with jet black hair. Watching for a moment Harry saw a few of them take money out of their pockets and hand it to this guy with the black hair.

"Drug deal" Harry said to himself, and quietly walked over listening to the conversation. "Dude, slip this into their drinks, they wont know what hit 'um, you'll be able to do what ever you want to them, they wont remember a thing."

Harry over heard this, realizing that this party had to end before more people got drugged. 

"Hermione how do I make all these people leave, fast?" asking her knowing he wouldn't get a proper answer.

"Damn Harry, there's no more pretzels, this party sucks my big fat as-." 

"Hermione you're a genius" he said to her. Standing up on a chair Harry yelled at the top of his lungs

"Attention! ATTENTION! Yo, guys SHUT UP!" Every one quieted down looking at him strangely.

"Where out of beer, and food" he announced flatly. There was a loud groan from the crowd as everyone started to leave.

Grabbing Hermione, as only a few drunkenly passed out people remained in his house, he half carried half dragged her up the stairs.

As they reached his bed room door, she turned to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "Harry Potter, you're my hero", she said and then pushed her lips against his.

Harry was trying to figure out whether to push her away, or let her kiss him. He realized after a few seconds that it would be wrong as she wouldn't remember in the morning.

"Hermione, No, you shouldn't, we shouldn't. But he felt her whole body go limp in his arms.

"Hermione? Hermione are you alright? Oh my god!" He lifted her up and put her down on his bed. She had passed out.

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	3. Almost Fallen

Chapter 3: Almost Fallen

Four long hours had past. Harry sat their staring at the girl sleeping on his bed he had been holding her hand for the last hour in hopes that she would wake up soon.

Just then a snowy white owl had flown into his room through his open window.

"Hedwig thank Merlin your back!" Taking the letter from her he opened it and let out an exasperated sigh.

"St. Mungo's says alls we can do is wait until the Rophynol is out of her system, then I should keep an eye on her for the rest of the night," He said to the snowy white owl that was now perched on his bed side table also anxiously awaiting Hermione's recovery.

"They said if she doesn't wake up in a few hours to send another owl and they will come get her."

When he sat back down on his bed next to her, he felt her body stir next to him.

"Harry?" She said groggily.

"Hermione your awake," He said softly while touching her cheek. She looked up at him and smiled.

Then her smile faded into a look of shock and fear. She bolted up into a sitting position almost knocking Harry off the bed.

"Woah, Hermione calm down, relax. The mediwizards said you need to rest." 

"Harry, what happened to me? How come I don't remember coming back up here? How come it's 3 in the morning, last thing I remember was going downstairs, and that was around 10 o'clock." She said in a frantic blurb of words.

"Hermione, when I left to go to the bathrooml last night, I came back and you were acting strangely. Almost like you were drunk." He tried to explain to her, but she cut him off.

"Harry I don't drink, I never have." 

"I know, I figured out it wasn't alcohol, you were…. Hermione, you were drugged." He paused for a moment looking at the expression of horror on her face.

Finally after a long pause of silence she spoke, "Harry what happened, at the party, I mean, uhhhhhhh?" she said this like she was trying to choose her words carefully but didn't really know what to say. "Did I, ummmm, do anything embarrassing?" she said figuring that was the best way to ask the questions she wanted answers too, without actually having to ask them.

Harry smiled at her. "Well you had a few choice words to say about our lack of pretzels, but other than that, not really." He said to her figuring it would be best not to mentinon the kiss.

She laughed, "Harry, I don't even like pretzels."

Harry told her an exaggerated story about how he had to beat up 3 bouncers and his cousin to get answers about who was selling the drugs, then he had to kick all the people out of the party one by one. Then he told her how he carried her up to his room and sent word with Hedwig to the hospital.

She smiled at him when he finished his embellished story.

"Harry Potter, you're my hero," she said to him giving him a big hug, and a kiss on the cheek.

Harry burst out laughing, and Hermione looked at him as if he were nuts. "What's so funny?" she asked him. 

"Nothing, it's just you said the same thing to me last night." He said to here through laughs.

"Oh did I? Really?" She said laughing as well.

"Well I guess I should go to bed," She said to him while trying to stand up.

"Oh no you don't missy" Harry said while pushing her back down on the bed, "You're sleeping right here tonight, the doctors said I need to keep an eye on you."

"Harry I don't really think it's appropriate for us to sleep in your bed, together, alone." She said almost as horrified as she was before.

"What are you saying Hermione? You want some one else in their with us? Harry said laughing again.

"Hermione, I am kiddng, I am gonna sleep on a cot next to my bed, you can have my bed to yourself." 

With that he took out his wand and said "Accio cot" and a loud noise came from down the hall, in the closet. Next thing they new a cot was floating in through the bedroom door, then it fell up against Harry's real bed.

"That's better," Hermione said smiling.

"Thank you Harry," she said to him not really looking into his eyes.

"For what?" He had asked her not knowing what she was getting at.

"For taking care of me, I know I could trust you with my life, I have before, and I… I just wanted to say thank you." She said and kissed him quickly on the cheek again and laid down in Harry's bed and closed her eyes, making it obvious that the conversation was over.  
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The next morning came quickly as they had only slept a few hours. Unfortunately for Harry even when Hermione was hung over she was still a morning person.

"Wake up Harry, its 8 o'clock in the morning, we slept in." She announced in a way too chipper voice.

"I'm going to shower, and get dressed, you have 15 minutes to wake yourself up, then it's your turn for a shower." 

"Yeah yeah yeah, I'll wake up with you in the shower… good idea Hermione," Harry said to her with a smirk worth a million galleons.

"Ha ha ha, very funny… you have 15 minutes or you will regret not waking up when I asked you to the first time," she announced walking out of the bedroom.

Just like she promised she was out of the shower and dressed 15 minutes later. Harry unfortunately didn't know this because he had fallen back asleep.

"I told you that you would regret not waking up Mr. Potter," she said quietly with a mischivious smile.

Hermione took out her wand and preformed a levitation charm on a sleeping Harry. He rose above his bed wearing only his pajama pants, and she took a moment to admire his nicely defined form.

Quickly pushing those thoughts out of her head because she shouldn't think such things about her best friend, she floated him down the hall and into the bathroom. She carefully maneuvered his sleeping body into the shower with his head, shoulders, and chest resting underneath the shower head. Slowly she lowered his body into the tub.

She held her breath as he stirred from his skin hitting the cold surface of the shower floor, but he did not wake up. Letting go of her breath, she turned the water to the coldest level possible and let the water run free into the tub.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, HOLY CRAP. WHAT THE FUCK? HOW THE HELL DID I GET IN HERE?"

Harry was screaming, while fumbling his hands over the handle to turn the water off as quickly as possible.

When the shock of the cold blast of water wore off his system Harry realized there was someone laughing at him in the bathroom.

"Hermione? You did this to me?"

"Oh Harry I had to. I told you that you would regret not waking up when I asked you to," she said through snorts of laughter.

"But… but how did you get me in here?" then recognition set in and he realized, "You used a levitation charm." He said a little too proudly at her because it had to be a strong charm to lift him up.

"Okay Harry, take your shower, hurry up and get ready." She said to him while closing the door to the bathroom behind her.

Sitting in Harry's room she was trying but failing to do her hair.

"I need a mirror for this mess," she said to herself, and looked inside of his closet on a shelf where she remembered seeing one while putting away some of her belongings.

Finding what seemed to be an ordinary piece of a mirror, she looked at it and scowled at the other shards of glass around it, "This wont do at all."

This "mirror" was broken into little bits and pieces. "Reflecto Repairo," she said and the small hand held mirror had pulled itself back together. Picking it up, she looked into it with a smile at her magical ablilities.

"Ahhhh, much better." Hermione finished fixing her hair and then put the mirror back onto his closet shelf.

Walking into his room to put on his shoes Harry saw Hermione sitting on his bed reading a book.

"Gee Hermione, do you ever do anything else other than read?" he said not really expecting her to answer him.

"Well actually I do Harry. I woke you up didn't I, and I fixed that mirror of yours." She said in a snotty attitude, then she smiled at him with satisfaction. 

Harry dropped his jumbbled up dirty clothes that he had been holding in shock, Hermione's face fell when she saw his expression. 

"Hermione, What mirror did you fix?" he asked her slowly looking directly at her.

"The broken one in your closet, I'm sorry if I wasn't supposed to go in your closet, I just remembered it being their, I didn't snoop or anything, I swear Harry." She said this so quickly that she had to catch her breath after she finished.

"Harry?" she asked him looking at his face as he ran to the closet door and grabbed the mirror out of the closet, it looked like he had a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

"Harry what are you doing?" she asked him again.

He didn't answer her, he only held the mirror up to his face and said loudly into his reflection,

"SIRIUS BLACK!"  
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	4. Underneath the Stars

Chapter 4: Underneath the Stars

Hermione sat their giving Harry one of the strangest looks. Harry did not seem to take notice, he just starred at the mirror.

"Harr-", she began to ask him what that was all about, but he cut her off.

"SIRIUS BLACK" he said again more assertively, still looking into the mirror. Nothing happened. Nothing. Looking as if his heart had been broken (because in a way it had) he slowly dropped the hand holding the mirror to his side and walked over to the bed where Hermione sat.

Dropping the mirror on the mattress he sat next to her and pulled his knees up to his chest wrapping his arms around his legs. He didn't speak. Hermione new that from the way he was sitting there that she shouldn't say anything even though she wanted to know what the hell just happened. Finally, after 15 long tense minutes he spoke.

"It didn't work, I… I thought if I… Maybe just one more try, but it didn't, I got my hopes up, but it didn't…. He's really gone Hermione." There were no tears, just sadness in his voice.

"Harry I really don't know what to say, I'm confused. What was that mirror?" she asked him carefully.

He sat there for a few seconds contemplating how to answer her question. "Sirius gave that mirror to me."

"Oh" she said to him still looking confused as to why he would be talking to it. So he went on to explain why he had the mirror in the first place, the note from Sirius, and the day he smashed it into pieces.

"Oh Harry I'm so sorry, If I had known what that mirror was, I would have never touched it. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have…" she trailed off not really knowing what else to say.

"It's fine", he said kind of harshly. It took him another minute to speak again, but when he spoke it was in a lighter tone. "Hermione what exactly did you have planned for us today and why did we have to get up so early?"

"Well Harry" she said with a smile, "we are getting a head start on the DA."

"HUH?"

"Well if you must know, I have been keeping in contact with most of the DA members, and we all agree that the first Friday back at classes should be our first returning lesson. So I figured we could get a start on lesson planning." Harry looked at her with a sort of strange expression.

Hermione was afraid that he would be angry with her. But when he saw her so excited about something he just couldn't help but smile too. "Okay that sounds like a good idea to pass the time. Tonight can we work on our Astronomy homework? I tried to start it but I just couldn't figure out how to align the planets according to the map."

Getting all giddy at Harry actually talking about doing homework she jumped up and down while getting her books out from her book bag.

They spent all morning and most of the afternoon working on lesson planning. After a quick lunch break they went back to work, also finishing all their Defense against the Dark Arts homework.

"Hermione how do you think you did on you're OWLS?" he asked her.

Looking really nervous at the thought of OWLS she answered, "I'm not sure, I hope I did well. I sort of froze on one part of my History of magic exam, scores should be sent out soon enough. Actually they should be here by now. OH NO! Do you think we did so badly that they didn't even send out a score? What if we failed every one? What are we going to do? I can't tell my parents that I failed all of my tests and am getting kicked out of Hogwarts." She had become frantic.

"HERMIONE! Calm down. BREATH!" he laughed at her as she nervously broke the quill she had been writing with. 

"I'm sorry I asked you about OWLS. I'm sure you did amazingly enough. I'm the one that should be worried about failing." With this said she had visibly calmed down, but Harry new that her mind was racing with thoughts of being doomed to working at a fast food restaurant for the rest of her life.   
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Night time came, as did the stars. Laying on side by side matching lounge chairs the duo was hard at work on their star charts.

"Hermione this is getting ridiculous! I will never be able to see Orion tonight. I can't concentrate." Harry said while throwing his quill down in a huff.

"Harry, it's simple enough if you take the time to plot the points. You have seen it before, find it again." She said while getting up from her lounge and picking up his quill.

"Slide over, I'll point it out to you." Squeezing in to the tiny space in the lounge chair meant for one person she leaned herself on her side facing him.

"Okay" she said while putting her head down as close to his as possible and using her finger to point into the sky at the area he was to be looking at.

Harry could concentrate even less, at this point all he could do was think about how her body was pressed up against his, and her face was inches from his own. Not really listening to her he put down his chart and starred at her.

"Do you see it now?" she asked looking over to him. "Harry you're not even paying attention to a word I say are you? Harry?" she finally grabbed his face to get him to snap out of what ever trance he was in.

Snapping back into reality he quickly picked up his chart and started writing down the plot points in any random spot and then hid it before she could see what he put down "Yeah I see it". 

Shaking her head Hermione got up and went back to her chair. "Why was he starring at me like that? I must have just imagined it. But WOW. Those eyes!" She thought silently to herself.

After an hour of tense silent star gazing Hermione decide to be the one to speak up again. "Harry, I think I'm getting tired."

"Okay"

"Well it's just, uhhhh, I mean, am I still sleeping in your room?" she asked blushing slightly.

"Oh, that, well the only other place you could sleep is on the couch in the family room but I don't know if you want to take your chances with Dudley running around the house, and my Aunt keeps her room so clean she will know if someone breathed in it, so you can't go in their."

"Then your room is fine, but I insist on sleeping on the cot, you need to be in your own bed." she said not really looking at him.

"No your sleeping in my bed, I'll take the cot, that thing is dangerous and if you slept on it I would be awake all night afraid that you got stuck in it when it folded up."

"Harry No!" They continued this argument all the way up the stairs with Hermione finally giving in, only because Harry jumped on the cot and got under the covers before she could say anything else.

"Harry I'm going to the bathroom to change and stuff, I'll try not to wake you when I come back." Ten minutes later she came back into the silent dark room and crawled into Harry's bed.

Laying their in the silence for a few minutes she let out a large sigh, then looked over at the clock. 11:53 pm. "Harry are you asleep?"

"No"

"Okay" she said as she got up and walked over to his clock changing the time to 12:01 am.

"Hermione what are you doing?" he asked watching her.

"Cheating" she said smiling mischievously then turned around and handed him a box.

"Happy Birthday Harry."

He starred at her for a moment as she sat down on his cot.

"HUH" he asked.

"It's your Birthday silly, did you forget or something?" she asked jokingly.

"I did, I forgot" he said not really believing his own stupidity. He sat there for a moment and looked at the box in his hands.

"Aren't you going to open it?" she asked him nervously.

"Of course" he said with a smile and tore off the wrapping paper. Fingering the leather bound case he flipped open the top. The glimmer off the moonlight shinning into the room revealed a tiny golden snitch. Harry picked it up out of the box, and noticed it was engraved.

Harry James Potter  
SEEKER

"Hermione I love it. Where did you find something like this? It must have cost you a fortune. I love it! Thank you!"

He leaned over and hugged her, holding her tightly. After a few seconds he released his arms partially and looked into her smiling eyes. He felt this overwhelming urge to kiss her. It felt right, like he should have been doing it all along. As he thought this he felt his body begin to lean into her.

"Oh my, it looks like, he's going to kiss me." Hermione thought to herself. As his face was only a few inches from hers he paused. There was a noise at the window. 

Harry looked up to see a small fluttering midget of an owl out side his window. Groaning silently to himself he got off the cot and opened the window, not noticing Hermione let out her own silent groan.

The overzealous owl flew into his room and buzzed around crazily, then finally landed on the post at the end of Harry's bed. As Harry leaned over to take off the small package and letter another owl flew into his room followed by another and then finally Fawks.

"Wow Harry, I guess you're the ONLY one who forgot your Birthday." She laughed at the now full bedroom.

Slowly opening every gift and letter he made his way through the zoo that had become his room. He received a Home made cake from Hagrid, and Lupin sent him a letter telling him that he had his gift, but it was too big to send with an owl.

Fawks had bought Harry a letter from Dumbledore with a message saying an all too familiar phrase. 

"Your father left this in my possession I believe it is time it was returned to you. Use it well." Laughing to himself as he remembered the last time he got that note he opened Dumbledore's gift. It was a necklace with a phoenix medallion on it.

"Wow, Harry is that one from Dumbledore?" Hermione asked him.

"Yeah, I guess this was my fathers." He said while hooking it around his neck.

Taking his last letter, the one from Ron, he began to read out loud. "Hey Mate, Looks like Dumbledore is going to let us break you out of that joint. Dad and the crew will be at your house in the morning at 9:30. I tried to convince him to at least let you sleep in, but he has to be in work. I may take a ride along. See you soon Mate. Happy 16th Birthday."

"So they will be here in the morning?" Hermione asked sounding kind of upset.

"Looks that way" Harry said. "I guess we should pack now, and get it over with." He began to get his things together and started to put them in his trunk.

"Harry what are you doing, just use magic to pack up." She said smiling. Then with a flick of her wand both hers and Harry's things were all put away in their trunks. 

Jumping back into the bed she shouted a quick goodnight. Harry turned off the light and slowly got on the cot only to be asleep minutes later.

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Waking up in the middle of the night Harry sat up. Feeling the fresh cuts on his back he new that he could not sleep any longer. This cot had to go, the springs were popping out of it. Levitating it out of his room and into the hall closet with a bang again Harry prepared to sleep on the floor.

"Don't even think about sleeping on that floor Harry James Potter. I won't have it!" Hermione had said through her blanket of hair covering her face.

"I thought you were asleep." He smiled.

"Like I could sleep through that ruckus." She laughed. "Come on" she slid over lifting up the covers for him to get in.

"Are you sure that's such a good idea?" he asked her.

"Harry those cuts on your back are not gonna heal with you sleeping on the hard wood floor. Now get in the damn bed or suffer the consequences." With that she rolled over and put her back to him.

Taking a moment he finally decided she was right, and slowly got into his bed next to her. After laying their awkwardly for a few moments he finally began to relax enough to fall back asleep.

Morning came all too quickly, but neither Harry nor Hermione realized it. That is until the knock on the bedroom door.

"Harry, its 9:45, Moody sent me up to see if you were coming down or staying here for the rest of the school year." Ron Weasly's voice sounded through the door, as it began to open.

Harry stirred at hearing his voice but didn't move, he was in the middle of having this wonderful dream about an all to familiar girl with brown eyes sleeping in his arms.

He was about to get up and open the door for Ron when…. "HOLY SHIT! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU TWO CALL THIS?"


	5. With No Warning

Chapter 5: With No Warning

Hermione, (hearing Ron's shouting), jumped out of her sleep and sat straight up a little too quickly. Her head slammed right into Harry's shoulder.

"OUCH! That hurt!" she yelled, and fell back down on to the bed. While holding her head she could feel the tension in the room rise as Ron's shouting continued.

"I can't believe this, my two best friends in the entire world are sleeping together? And you two don't even see it fit to tell me about this? What the hell?" He continued shouting.

Harry jumped out of the bed as Ron shut his eyes, afraid that Harry might not be descent.

"Ron NOTHING happened, we were just sleeping I swear it." He said almost in a laughing voice. "And you can open your eyes, I'm completely dressed, as is Hermione."

Ron opened one eye slightly, just to make sure Harry wasn't lying. He quickly noticed that Hermione was now sitting up in the bed still holding her head, while Harry had sat down next to her to make sure she was alright.

"Hey" Harry said gingerly, pulling her hand down from her head. "Are you alright?" He now had his fingers brushing Hermione's hair out of her face so he could get a better look at her bump on her head.

"I would be fine, if Ron would stop shouting." She cast Ron an annoyed look, and then stood up quickly from the bed finally realizing what Ron must have though when he walked into the room seeing them cuddled together on the bed.

"Sorry Hermione, but I thought you two were….." he trailed off while his ears started burning a bright red color.

Hermione and Harry both started laughing at this. Then after the giggles subsided they explained to him why they were sharing a bed.

"And if you don't believe us Ron, take a look at my back." Harry had finished, while turning around to show him the cuts from the springs on the cot he had previously slept on.

Ron had begun to visibly relax, and then he realized. "but if you weren't doing anything, then why were you holding each other when I walked in?" This was a good question, and Harry glanced awkwardly at Hermione, who had just stared at her feet blushing at the memory of Harry holding her. 

Both were thankfully sparred at having to answer it just then because Moody was walking into Harry's room with a look of total annoyance that only McGonagall could top.

"Just what the bloody hell is taking so long?" he boomed. Hermione looked like she could have hugged him with the relief she felt for not having to answer Ron's question.

Moody seemed to be too angry to notice the awkward predicament the three had gotten themselves into. "Harry get dressed and get your things, we are already running late. You three have FIVE MINUTES" he yelled the last two words as he walked out of the room and down the stairs.

Five minutes later three teenaged heads came bounding down the stairs with all their things floating down behind them.

"We're all set" Harry announced to the small crowd of wizards, and the lone witch. Tonks, Lupin, Moody, Mr. Weasely, Bill Weasely and Kingsley Shaklebolt had all volunteered to come and get the not so young Harry for his journey to the Burrow.

"Ron, you didn't tell me Hermione was here as well." Mr. Weasely had said looking inquisitively at the trio with a raised eyebrow.

"I didn't know Dad" was all he said in a tone that make the room feel like ice. Tonks caught Harry's eye and gave him a knowing smirk making him blush, then she shifted her eyes to Hermione who was still looking at her feet.

"Well, now that we are more than 15 minutes off schedule I dare say we better get going." Moody said obviously not taking note of the tension in the room yet again.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, Mr. Weasely, and Moody all were going by portkey while the rest of the group were to apparate ahead of time to the burrow just to be safe. When the group heard the familiar crack of a witch or Wizard disapperating Moody held up an old tattered Red Sox baseball cap. "Eveyone please take a hold of this". Moments later they all felt that tug behind their navels and the sudden whirl of colors as the surroundings around them had suddenly changed.

When their feet had finally touched the ground Hermione had lost her balance and fell directly into Ron who was standing to her right. Harry watched as Ron caught her before she fell, and helped to steady her. He suddenly felt a pang of jealousy as he saw Ron's arms around her. Then just as quickly as it appeared he shook the thought out of his head. Then he noticed his surroundings and smiled.

Harry loved the Burrow as it was more like a home to him than Privet Drive was. Just then he saw a small framed fiery red head jump on him in a rib crushing hug.

"Harry I'm so glad to see you! How have you been?" Ginny had nearly knocked him over. As she let go of him Harry glanced over uncomfortably at Hermione and saw her purse her lips as she looked almost jealous like he had been only seconds ago.

Looking back at Ginny he smiled. "Well hello to you too Ginny. I've been alright." He said with a little laugh in his voice. Harry also noticed Dean Thomas, not looking all too happy at the way Harry was greeted by Ginny.

"Hey mate, how is your summer going?" Harry said shaking his hand.

"Is that Harry I hear?" a voice yelled from the kitchen, than a face appeared to match the voice.

"Hello Mrs. Weasely, How have you been?" Harry had asked the woman who had now had him in a large bear hug.

"Just fine, just fine dear. I'm the one who should be asking that about you! You poor thing having to be stuck in that dreadful place with those awful muggles. Why if I had it my way you would have come directly here off of that train!" she rambled, then finally let go of him, and walked over to Hermione. "Hermione dear, so good to see you, and you are doing well I hope?"

After they had finished their pleasant greetings Mrs. Weasely asked Ron and Ginny to show Harry and Hermione where they would be staying. Ginny had to share the same room with Hermione that they had shared last time the trio had stayed here together.

As the girls had continued up the stairs Harry stopped in front of Ron's room that they had shared last time. "No Harry, you get your own room this time!" He said excitedly as he continued down the small hallway.

"Fred and George moved out after a month of working full time at their shop. I guess business has been treating them well. You get their old room." Ron opened the door and let Harry in. Harry surveyed the room and sat down on the queen sized bed.

"Ron? How come I get a room to myself? I mean she could have let Hermione have it." Harry asked.

"Well mate, Mum thinks you might want some privacy, said you might need some time to yourself in this crazy house." Ron stated not really looking Harry in the eye.

"But why would she think I need time to myself….. Oh," Harry realized Mrs. Weasely was thinking about Sirius when she made that decision to let Harry have his own room.  
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After settling in and putting all of his things away Harry heard a small knock on his door.

"Come in."

Hermione stood in the doorway, took a quiet step in and slowly closed the door behind her so she didn't make a sound.

"Hey", she said almost so quietly that Harry wasn't sure he heard her.

"Hi" he said back, busying himself with organizing the pictures on his bedside dresser. 

She walked over to him and sat down. "So when did you get that picture?"

Harry had been arranging a small picture of the trio before the third task in Harry's fourth year. They all had there arms around each other, smiling and laughing while they were walking.

Harry picked up the picture and handed it to her so she could see it more closely. "I got it from Colon Creevy. He showed it to me during our fifth year, he made a copy for me because I loved it so much."

"Oh" was all she managed to say. They sat their in silence for what seemed like an eternity until Harry finally spoke.

"So, uhhhhhh, is there something that you needed?" he wanted to know why she had come into his room.

"No" was her simple reply. More awkward silence. This seemed to be happening a lot recently between them.

"Harry I never really got to finish giving you your birthday presents." She said rather quickly. "No, sorry, I… I was kind of afraid to give you your other birthday present."

"Hermione why would you be afraid to give me a present?" he asked her more confused than ever.

"Oh, well…. Alright…. Accio Harry's Gift." Moments later a gift banged into the other side of the closed door. Hermione handed him his picture back, got up and went to the door to get his gift.

Closing the door behind her ever so quietly again she walked back over to where she was sitting next to him. "Here", and she shoved the gift into his lap and looked in the opposite direction of the room, looking anywhere else but at him. "Hermione why would you think I would get upset over this?"

It was a photo album, put together with little captions underneath it. Harry began flipping the pages, looking at the different photos. Pictures of Harry with Ron, with Hermione, The trio with Hagrid, Harry playing quidditch, Dumbledore and Harry, the Weasely Family, Hagrid with Buckbeak, and the picture that Harry had on his dresser was on the next page, Harry laughed when he saw it realizing that Colon must have shown Hermione as well. When he laughed Hermione finally looked at him, "I got a copy of it too" was all she said.

Then she seemed to hold her breath as he turned the page. He didn't say anything as he looked at the next few pages. All pictures of Sirius. One picture in particular made Harry actually take in a sharp breath. Sirius was sitting at the table with Harry and Professor Lupin. They were all laughing, and smiling, looking as if there was not a care in the world.

Harry smiled at the picture and then slowly closed the album. He didn't say anything for few moments.

Hermione took that as a sign that he was angry.

Getting up off the bed she turned to him, "I'm sorry, I…. I should have waited to give that to you, I knew it would upset you, I'll go." She started to turn and took a step towards the door but she felt a hand wrap around her wrist and pull her back to where she was. Harry was standing now. He pulled her close to him and simply said into her ear, "I loved it". Then, with no warning, he kissed her.

It took her a moment for the shock to wear off. But as soon as she realized that she was being kissed, her arms wrapped around his shoulders instinctively, and she pulled him closer. He wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her slightly so he could deepen the kiss. As he did this he felt a small sigh escape from her, and this drove him to kiss her even more passionately if it was at all possible. Their tongues were intertwined in one another, his fingers were now drawing little circles on the small of her back, as hers were playing with the little hairs at the bottom of his hair line, causing him to break out in goose pimples.

Just at that moment, That PERFECT moment, there was a loud knock on the door. The two teenagers jumped apart from each other so fast you would think lightning struck in the middle of them. Hermione stood their with her hand touching lightly to her mouth, eyes wide with shock though not looking at him, while Harry walked over to the door.

"Harry dear, lunch is ready, Oh Hermione good you're here too, one less trip for me to make." Mrs. Weasely had announced not really noticing the odd way Hermione was standing.

"Thanks Mrs. Weasely," Harry said as he started to walk out of his room, not looking back at Hermione. He was afraid if he looked at her, he wouldn't be able to stop himself from kissing her again.

"Harry dear, would you tell the rest of the bunch that I have to make a short trip to Diagon Ally? I will be back in about an hour." Harry nodded. "Thank you dear."

After a long lunch (Ron being the only person who talked), with Hermione sitting in between Ron and Harry, the two boys had decided to go into Ron's room and play a round of Wizards Chess. "Hermione you coming?" Ron asked.

"No, I uhhhh, think I will go in the living room and study some more." She announced as she ran into the other room. Ron rolled his eyes at this comment and looked at Harry, who was oddly looking at his feet.

As they began going up the stairs to the bedrooms Ron realized something. He stopped in his tracks and his ears turning bright red again.

"Ron, why did you stop?" Harry asked.

"Ginny…. She… Her and Dean never came down for lunch." He said almost in a whisper, then ran up the rest of the steps as fast as he could with Harry following close behind. He stopped right in front of his sister's room and opened the door only to find her with Dean. She was sitting on his lap in a small chair in the corner, they were snogging like crazy.

"WHAT THE HELL? GINNY WHAT IS THIS? DEAN GET OUT, GO…… NOW!" The two had jumped apart just like Harry and Hermione had only half an hour ago.

"Ron, you can't kick him out, he is my guest!" She yelled back at Ron, then turned to Dean. "Dean you can stay, you don't have to go."

"Dean better leave if he knows what's good for him." Ron shouted at the top of his lungs.

He must have been shouting too loudly because Hermione appeared in the doorway looking confused, then a look of understanding crossed her face as she realized what had just happened. Hearing Ron's continued shouting Dean turned to Ginny, hugged her and said his goodbyes.

"I'll floo you tomorrow Gin. Nice to see you again Harry, Hermione…….. Ron." Just like that he left.

"Ron, why did you flip out like that, they were just kissing, it's not like they were on the bed or anything like that?" Harry asked him, trying to help Ginny out as much as possible. She was already crying on Hermione's shoulder, refusing to even look at Ron.

"Harry imagine how you would feel if you walked in on Hermione snogging some guy, you're trying to tell me you wouldn't get upset?" As the words left Ron's mouth Hermione nearly choked at what he said. Coughing and looking at Harry she wasn't the only girl in the room who saw his face turn red when Ron asked that.

"I…. uhhhhh…… Have to use the bathroom…. Uhhhh…Yeah" Was all Harry managed to stammer before leaving the room with a quick glance at Hermione.

"I wonder what's with him?" Ron asked not really looking for an answer as he left the room to go down stairs.

"Yeah, I wonder…." Hermione whispered while thinking of the kiss again. Hermione finally looked back at Ginny. Ginny had a smirk on her face that said two things. One- Oh yeah, I know something happened with you two, and Two- Now you better tell me before I beat it out of you.

"WHAT?" Hermione asked, avoiding her gaze. The look Ginny gave her hardened.

"Oh Ginny alright, I don't know why anyone bothers keeping anything a secret around you with your death stare!" and Hermione began to tell her the entire story.

After she finished her story Ginny smiled. "I KNEW IT, I JUST KNEW IT!" she yelled grinning even more.

"Your not mad are you Gin?"

"Hermione, I got over Harry long ago, I have Dean now, and I… I think I might love him." The two girls spent the next hour in their room gossiping, and giggling. Hermione was relieved that she had Ginny to talk to about what was going on with Harry.

"Ginny thanks, I….. uhhhh…. I never had a sister before." Hermione said with a smile on her face. Ginny squealed and hugged her, "I never had a sister before either!" From that moment on, they were each others confidant. Ultimate trust, Hermione never had that bond with her roommates, but with Ginny, she new she had someone she could talk with, no questions asked.

"So what am I supposed to do about Ron? He is not going to like the fact that I fancy Harry." Hermione said.

Ginny just laughed, "We will deal with him when we have to." She said simply. Then the two burst into another fit of giggles and continued their gossip.


	6. Avoidance

Chapter 6: Avoidance

One week into his visit at the burrow Harry realized that he couldn't keep making up excuses to not be alone with Hermione anymore. It was becoming so obvious that something was wrong between them that even Ron asked if they were fighting.

Harry didn't tell him that it was exactly the opposite. That he thought about her constantly, that he has been having nightmares every night since Sirius died and the only time they stopped were when they were together. He was ashamed to admit that he was afraid of Ron's reaction to the news that Harry Potter was slowly but surely falling in love with Hermione.

The only time in the last week that he talked to Hermione privately was when she cornered him 3 days ago to ask if she could borrow Sirius's mirror again saying she wanted to experiment with it to see if she could get it working again. Harry gave it to her without a word. He didn't want to get his hopes up. 

It was still rather early, and Harry decided that after a long night of endless nightmares that he just couldn't go back to sleep. Getting up he decided to go for a walk around the hallways to keep him self from falling back asleep.

He exited his room and heard Ron talking, figuring he must be awake Harry opened the door to Ron's room only to see that he was talking in his sleep. 

"Spiders, they want me to tap dance… I… I don't want to tap dance!" Ron cried out in his sleep. Harry rolled his eyes at the familiar nightmare, he was getting sick of Ron's spider dreams. He turned and exited the room only to find himself climbing the stairs, the same stairs that led to Ginny and Hermione's room. 

Harry stood outside the silent door for what seemed like and eternity, till her heard her whimper. Then he heard her crying and saying "No, No don't let him die, It's all my fault".

He noticed as he opened the door that she was thrashing about in her bed tossing and turning, tears streaming down her face, fists in a ball. He walked over to her and sat down next to her putting his hand over hers.

"Hermione, wake up." She did not wake up, but the moment his hand touched hers, she stopped tossing, and seemed to relax.

The tears had stopped and Harry noticed Ginny sit up in her bed across the room.

"Harry, you're a life saver, I haven't slept since she got here a week ago, with those awful nightmares of hers." Ginny said to him tiredly.

"It's alright Ginny, go back to bed." He told her.

"No I'm up now. Let's go have something to drink, I am getting quite parched." Ginny got out of bed, stretched, and threw on her robe. She then grabbed Harry by the arm and dragged him down the stairs and into the kitchen.

They talked nonchalantly about school, and Ginny asked what she should expect to be on her owls this year. After half an hour Ginny finally asked Harry the one thing she had wanted to know.

"So, Harry? You and Hermione?" she smiled.

"Me and Hermione, what?" Harry looked at her skeptically.

"Don't play dumb with me Harry Potter, I KNOW what happened last week, now tell me why your avoiding her like she's the black plague?" Ginny stomped her foot, and looked angry.

"She is upset Harry, she wont admit it, but you not talking to her is making her upset." 

Harry avoided her glare, he new she was right. This was not how he wanted to handle this.

"I know, I should have talked to her about…. The kiss….(he blushed).. But, I….. ARG!" 

Ginny raised an amused eyebrow at him, "So you do like her then?" she asked him with a smirk.

"Of course I do Gin, she's amazing. It's just…. I don't want her to get hurt again. She has been hurt because of me enough." With that said Harry got up and left for his room.

"She wants to be with you" he heard Ginny say as he was walking back up the stairs, but he pretended not to hear her.

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A few hours later the whole house was awake and hopping. Fred and George were over for a visit, and Ron and Harry got to sample all of there "Test" products. Ginny challenged her brothers and Harry to a game of quidditch, so they all spent the afternoon outside in the sunny backyard at the burrow. Hermione chose to spend her day inside, tinkering with the mirror.

"I don't know why I can't get this thing to work!" she shouted to no one in particular. She had tried for the past few days to put the original charm back into the mirror, but it wouldn't work.

"Harry, I wish I could fix this for you…" she announced looking into the mirror. Out of no where the mirror fogged over, Hermione nearly dropped the mirror out of shock. Then she saw someone's smiling, laughing face starring back at her it looked like the person was outside.

She looked even closer, "Is that…. No… it's Harry" she thought to herself.

"But how is that possible, he doesn't have the other mirror?" she asked aloud again to no one in particular. 

"Who doesn't have a mirror?" Ginny asked coming into the bedroom bouncing and bubbly. Hermione looked up still in slight shock.

"Ginny do me a favor? Take this mirror and say Harry's name while looking at it." She handed the mirror to her. Ginny looked over at her like she was crazy.

"Ginny just humor me."

"Okay, Harry" Ginny said into the mirror still looking confused. Hermione was standing behind her.

"Nothing happened, try it again" Hermione urged her.

"Harry Potter" Ginny spoke once again into the mirror.

"Hermione I am starting to think I should call St. Mungo's for you. Now I have to go see Dean." Ginny announced, with the mirror still in front of her.

Just as quickly as she said Dean's name the mirror fogged over, and Dean Thomas appeared inside it. He was combing his wet hair with a grin on his face.

"Hermione… it's Dean! He is getting ready for our date!" Ginny squeaked. Hermione gasped, and then looked at Ginny.

"Wow, try someone else." Hermione urged.

"Ron" Ginny said into the mirror and again it did not work. This was the third name they had tried unsuccessfully.

"I don't understand Hermione, It lets me see only Dean, You can only see Harry, but why can't we see anyone else?" Ginny asked her.

"I'm not to sure Gin, but I might have an idea why." She said carefully.

Just as Ginny was going to ask about her mirror theory Harry walked into the room.

"Ginny your mom wants to have a chat with you before you go out tonight, I think Ron might have told her about catching you with Dean. He is down there with her." Harry glanced at Hermione, blushed and then turned his gaze to Ginny.

She was now fuming and beet red, "Excuse me while I go drown myself in the kitchen sink." She announced stomping out of the room, shutting the door behind her.

"Hey", she said almost so quietly that Harry wasn't sure he heard her.

"Hi" he said back shuffling his feet. This conversation seemed familiar.

More awkward silence.

"So, uhhhh errrr….how's it going?" Harry asked her, still not looking in her eyes.

"Fine" she stated crossing her arms.

More awkward silence.

"There has been a strange development with your mirror" Hermione said to him quickly.

"What kind of development?" Harry asked her carefully, still avoiding her eyes, and looking directly at the mirror in her hands.

Hermione sat down on the edge of her bed and motioned for Harry to do the same. As he sat down next to her he decided it would be best if he didn't sit too close.

"I tried a few spells on it this week. To see if I could get it working again." She stopped, thinking of the best way for her to word her next few sentences.

"All of these attempts were unsuccessful. Or that's what I thought. Harry, it's the strangest thing. I tried calling Sirius's name in the mirror, and it didn't work. But then I said your name out loud, I was kind of talking to myself, and well….. the mirror fogged over, and I could see you, outside playing quidditch. Them Ginny came in and she tried, but it didn't work for her, at least not when she said your name, or Ron's or Fred and George. But Harry, when she said Dean's name it worked and she saw him." Hermione stopped speaking to catch her breath, she had said he whole speech in one fast breath.

When she looked up at Harry, she noticed that he seemed to be thinking rather hard. He reached over and took the mirror from her hand.

"Maybe I should try it" he said with a small smile. "Sirius Black!" Harry said straight into the mirror. Nothing happened. Looking disappointed again he handed it back to her.

"I guess I should…" but Hermione cut him off by yelling "Harry I figured it out!"

With a triumphant look on her face she asked "Harry don't you get it?"

"No" he said with a look of confusion on his face.

"Harry, It shows who you love!" 

"Awwwww Ginny saw Dean in that mirror Hermione, I didn't know they were so serious about each other." He smiled at the thought.

Then he realized, "Oh my, uhhh Hermione, you, ummm you saw me in the mirror right?" he looked over to her with a slight blush in the cheeks, and a look of pure shock in his eyes. 

Hermione's look of triumph changed quickly to pure embarrasment. Doing the only thing she could think to do Hermione threw the mirror down on her bed and ran into the closest door possible.

"Hermione that's the closet…" but the door slammed shut before he could finish his sentence.

She sat in there on the floor for a moment, not really knowing what to do, this was not how she wanted Harry to find out about her feelings for him. 

After a minute or too went by the closet door opened and Harry walked into the closet and sat down next to her.

"Harry, I don't think I can talk to you about this right now, could you just go? I'm too embarrassed" she said as a tear escaped her eye. 

"I see you" he said in a whisper.

"Harry, I know you can see me, I am sitting right next to you, now please can you just…" She was cut off by Harry yet again.

"No, Hermione, When I look into the mirror." His voice dropped back down to a soft whisper, "I see you."

The room filled with silence yet again.

"Oh" was all she could manage to whisper back to him.

Harry reached his hand up to her face and used his thumb to wipe away the single tear that had managed to escape her eye earlier. His fingertips moved slowly over her jaw line as she tried to keep herself from shivering. His touch on her skin set jolts into her spine. Before either of them new it they were back in each others arms, lips pressed together. It felt so right, so natural. When Harry's fingertips ran down her spine it amplified Hermione's jolts, and caused her to let out a soft moan into his lips. Harry took this as a good sign and let his tongue fight its way into her mouth.

They stayed in the closet for a good 10 minutes before they were interrupted yet again.

Ginny stomped up the stairs as loudly as possible, "OKAY RON, I GUESS WE CAN CHECK MY ROOM NOW, IF YOU INSIST OF FINDING THEM!"

She was shouting as loudly as possible. Harry and Hermione scrambled out of the closet and ran to opposite corners of the room.

"Ginny there is no reason to shout, I'm right next to you" they heard Ron say before he opened the bedroom door.

"Hey Guys! I have been looking all over the house for you….. Hermione are you alright? You look…. Winded." Ron's confusion worsened as Ginny burst into a raging fit of laughter knowing what happened and ran out of the room. Hermione just stood there looking horrified.

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A few hours later an owl arrived carrying a batch of letters.

"Oh no, it's here!" Hermione said with the same horrified look that was on her face only a few hours ago.

"O.W.L. scores are here…. Harry, Ron… what do I do?" she asked starring at the unopened letter in her hands.

"Uh, you open it" Ron said to her slowly, "See like this" he demonstrated with his own letter.

After a minute of looking over his scores in silence he looked up at his friends.

"I should have left it closed, Hermione's got the right idea Harry don't do it." Ron said gloomily. He only received an A in Potions, meaning he would not be accepted into Snape's advanced course. He did receive an O in Defense Against the Dart Arts though!

"Harry, you go first." Hermione urged, her hands shaking slightly.

"Okay" he said with a large breath in, than out, he closed his eyes as he opened the letter. Once he opened his eyes again he looked over the letter and then the shock set in. He sat down on the couch not believing what he was reading.

Not being able to stand the suspense anymore Ron took Harry's letter out of his hands. 

"Bloody Hell Mate! You got the highest score ever recorded in the history of O.W.L.'s for Defense Against the Dark Arts! You managed an O in Potions as well. Snape is going to love that!" Ron looked amused at the thought of Snape's face seeing Harry in his class for another year.

Hermione looked at Harry with excited eyes, but then back to her own letter with pure fear in them.

"I can't do it, Harry you open it, Please?" She shoved the letter in his hands, her whole body shaking with nerves. Harry looked up at her fearful face and smiled.

"Of course I'll open it for you, but I'm sure you did fine." He had opened the letter and looked at the marks on it, and folded it back up with out a word. No expression on his face.

"Harry, Please? How did I do?" she asked pleadingly.

"You will just have to look for yourself!" he said handing her the letter. Not being able to wait a second longer she unfolded the letter and glanced at her scores.

"I DID IT! Straight O's down the line!" she announced ten times happier than she had been moments ago.

Mrs. Weasley walked in and announced in tears, "I am so proud of all three of you, Dumbledore sent me a copy of your owl scores, you all did wonderfully!"

Then a moment later she looked at the list of books and school items, and then sighed, "I guess we should be taking a trip into Diagon Ally tomorrow!"  
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	7. Fighting with Passion

Chapter 7: Fighting With Passion

The next morning came quickly, and the house was once again croweded, as Fred and George were still over from the day before. They were all scheduled to leave for Diagon Ally at 10:00 by Floo. The plan was to go about there own business for a few hours and meet at 1:00 in the Leaky Cauldron for lunch. Then go to the book store to get their things, and go back home by 3:30 for a meeting with Dumbledore at 4.

Such a structured day on summer holiday could only be set by the queen of structure herself, Hermione. And, as it was now 9:45 and Ginny was not awake yet, Hermione was having a fit through out the house.

"GINNY GET UP!" she yelled up the stairs. "WHERE GONNA BE LATE!" she screamed! And then she started running around the house like a mad woman, making sure everyone that was coming, was ready.

At 9:58 Ginny came down the stairs fully dressed but still half asleep. She walked over to the kitchen table and grabbed an apple, ignoring Hermione's glare.

As everyone flood, one by one to Diagon Ally, no one else (except for Ginny) seemed to notice that Harry and Hermione were the last two left. As Harry went to grab the floo powder Hermione grabbed his arm to stop him.

"I wanted to tell you something." She said looking at his bright green eyes.

"Oh, what's that?" he asked, looking nervous.

"Ginny, she knows that you kissed me. I'm sorry that I didn't talk to you about talking to her first, but I swear it was like she already new." She was rambling.

"Hermione, its fine, and I already know she knows. It's alright. Just as long as she doesn't say anything about it." he said with a shy smile and kissed her on the cheek. Then he went on his way into Diagon Ally, followed by Hermione seconds later who was blushing like mad.

Their morning went by rather uneventfully. Nothing to spectacular had happened. Harry was not alone with Hermione once. Thankfully that minimized there chances of being caught together by Ron.

As they all made their way back for lunch at the Leaky Cauldron Harry was lagging behind. He had stopped to look in a window at the new Quidditch supplies. When he turned around he noticed his friends had not waited for him. He took a step and was about to say wait up, when he saw a mound of books clobber him in the head. "Oomph!" He fell as the books landed on top of him.

"Oh my, I am so sorry, are you alright?" He heard a girl's voice ask, though he still had pain in his head from the books hitting him, so his eyes were scrunched closed and could not see her.

"Yeah I'm fine, just a bit dazed." He said finally opening his eyes as he looked up, while still holding his head.

She was tall, about Harry's height, maybe even a smidge taller that him. Very thin, but not too thin where you could see her bones stick out. She had long really dark brown hair, straight as an arrow, and perfectly maintained. When she tucked a piece behind her ear Harry noticed her eyes.

They were a deep deep brown color, almost black even, but they mesmerized him. He looked even closer, they had little flecks of red and light brown in them. It was strange like the flecks of red and brown were almost pulsating. He felt like he was in a trance.

"Are you sure you're alright, if you're not, I could take you to that hospital around here, ummmm St. Magoo's." she said looking worried, but feeling a little uncomfortable at the way he was starring at her.

"St. Mungo's, and Uh, yeah I'm alright, fine yeah." He laughed shaking his head so he could clear his head. That was just too strange, something about those eyes seemed so familiar.

He stood up, and started helping her pick up all the books she had dropped on him. "You don't have to help, I'm the one who hit you with them." She laughed.

"You're not from around here are you?" he asked.

"Is it that obvious?" she laughed again. "No I'm from…. Out of town, we just moved here, my mother and I. I'll be starting at Hogwarts this year."

"Really, what year, what house?" he asked even more.

"I'm 16, so I guess in your school that means year 6? And I don't have a house yet, the head master said I would be in a private sorting before the first years came in. You know you're asking me all of these questions, and I know nothing about you. What's your name?" she smiled. Even her smile was familiar. 

"Oh, I'm sorry, there I go being rude. I'm Harry Potter, and you are?" He asked reaching his hand out to shake hers. She just looked at his hand for a moment, then back up at him. There was a moment where a look of unease came across her face, not one he could identify clearly, but it was defiantly something. Then she reached her hand out and shook his.

"Mackenzie, Mackenzie Rosaland." She said back.

They chatted for a few more minutes when Harry remembered that he was supposed to meet with his friends. "I'm headed to the Leaky Cauldron for lunch with my friends. You are more then welcome to come if you would like?" He asked more to be polite, than anything else.

"Actually I have plans myself. I am meeting with the Headmaster for lunch. He is going to be going over my schedule of classes with me before we get back to school. So I know what to expect from my Professors and all that. Thank you though, for the invite." She said smiling.

"Well it was nice to meet you Mackenzie, thanks for clobbering me with your books!" he laughed, and she blushed.

"It was nice to meet you too Harry." She smiled again, and walked away from him holding up her large pile of books.

Back at the Leaky Cauldron Harry walked in to the room where is group was sitting. As soon as they caught sight of him the gossip hushed to a silence. "Hey guys, what's going on?" Harry asked them confused.

There were many side glances to each person that was sitting at the table. Like someone was silently urging the next person to speak. "Guys?" he implored getting annoyed.

Still no-one spoke.

"Oh alright, You are all such babies." Hermione said.

"Harry, there has been another attack. Moody was injured, not to badly, but it seems that whoever it was has covered there tracks really well. As they have no clues who it was. Moody is at St. Mungo's, he will be out in a few hours but… Dumbledore said he won't be making it to your meeting tonight he wants to speak with Moody. He will contact you soon to discuss whatever it was that needed to be discussed as well as the attack earlier."

"Oh" was all he said, and sat down next to Ron.

"You alright mate?" Ron asked him.

"Yeah, I'm fine, why wouldn't I be?" he said with a fake cheesy grin on his face. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny all recognized the fakeness, but chose to leave it be for now. Everyone else, on the other hand, seemed to believe he was fine.

The rest of the afternoon went on as planned. Harry forgot to mention meeting Mackenzie to Ron and Hermione, and soon enough she was just an afterthought to an otherwise uneventful day. 

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Going back to the Burrow for dinner was hard for Harry and Hermione. Being in the same small house together was driving them mad. When Harry walked in on Hermione brushing her hair in the bathroom he nearly jammed the door shut behind him and jumped on her. The only thing that stopped him was that Ron was standing in the hallway, waiting for his turn in there. This was going to be difficult.

After dinner and a few games of chess, there was not much else to be done for the day. It was still pretty early (9:30 p.m.), but Harry had decided to barricade himself in his room at the Burrow for the rest of the evening. He walked into the room and muttered a locking spell along with a silencing spell, then used his wand to throw his dresser up against the door so he wouldn't be tempted to leave. 'The more obstacles between me and the door, the better.' He thought.

He was avoiding her again. This 'thing', whatever it may be, just could not keep happening like this. They were getting sloppy. Ron had almost caught them. He needed to figure out his feelings for Hermione first, before anyone else found them out.

An hour had past and Harry was asleep in bed, dreaming.

He was running down a hallway at school, and turned into a familiar bathroom chasing a rat… THE RAT! Peter Pettigrew! He followed this rat into the bathroom feeling his scar prickle, but he could not find him anywhere. He looked in every stall, in every corner, nothing. 

Then it occurred to him where this bathroom this was. 

Looking over to the sink he remembered. "Of course! Myrtle's bathroom."

He marched over to the sink and in Parseltongue said "Open up." The water tap glowed, spun, and then sank out of sight to some unknown place. Harry felt fear as he saw the pipe that he had not seen in 4 years. The prickle in his scar turned to pain.

In his mind he told himself not to jump down it. This could only lead to disaster, but for some reason he new he had to. He jumped and slid down the endless pipe. When he finally stopped he found himself in the bottom of a tunnel, but he got up knowing what he had to do.

As he followed the familiar path through the dark musty tunnel, he changed his direction going to the left, going a different way then the last time he was in this chamber. It lead him to a round room, rock walls, and the only way out was the way he came in which suddenly, had just slammed itself closed behind him.

"This is just great, I'm trapped." He thought to himself. Just as he started to look around the room, he noticed the rat sliding under a crack in the rock wall. "PETER!" He shouted angrily, as he approached the crack in the wall. He noticed as he got closer, it wasn't a crack at all. This was a secret door made of rock.

Using his wand he muttered the spell to unlock the door, but it did not work.

He then tried "Open up" in parseltongue and it did not work.

Becoming frustrated he stomped over to the rock door and punched his clenched fist into the rock. As he pulled his bloodied fist back from the door it creaked and moved. Only a little though.

Confused at first he looked at his fist, then at the door, then at his fist again. His head shot up. "That's it… I understand now". He began knocking on the rock door with his good fist. It opened up a little more each time his fist made contact. He stopped when it opened enough to let his body slide through.

When he walked through the door he found himself going down another tunnel.

He was running now, suddenly feeling an urgency to get where he was going much faster as his scar seared in pain. He reached the end as the tunnel opened up into a large room and he saw a body on the ground in the middle. Running over to it he flipped the body over.

"OH MY GOD! HERMIONE, WAKE UP! WAKE UP SWEETHEART!" he shouted. His voice broke as he whispered "please wake up." He cried, burying his head into her bloody shoulder as she lay there unmoving.

"I knew you would come" hissed a voice behind him, causing a violent shudder to go though his body. He turned around to face his enemy while his scar burned his tear stained eyes. Standing in front of him was the hooded figure he feared for so long. Terror ran through his body as he glanced back down at his true loves unmoving body.

Then all he felt was hate.

"I knew you would come for her. Your love for her makes you week. Love makes all fools who feel it week." Voldemort hissed through his hood, while his blood red eyes glowed. 

"She died protecting your prophesy. Of course even hours of torture couldn't get her to talk. Loyal to a fault she was. Rather annoying actually." He laughed sadistically.

Harry felt the hate building inside him like a bomb waiting to go off. Nothing had ever made him feel this much hate before, not even when Sirius had died.

"Now that you're here Potter, let's play." He heard Voldemort hiss and saw a jet of red light fly at him.

Harry sat straight up in his bed, his scar still prickling on his sweaty forehead. Running his hand through his drenched hair he felt the hate still coursing through his body. He tried getting the picture of her dead body out of his mind. "I won't let this happen to her. EVER!" he thought.

He was determined to find a way to get around something like this happening. Hermione doesn't deserve to be put into the middle of this war. He won't allow it. "I can't love her. It's the only way." He said out loud.

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Another hour passed it was now 11:30, Harry was fidgeting angrily on his bed.

"I should have peed before I locked my self in here…. idiot" he thought out loud to himself still feeling hate in his body. He got up and muttered the spell to move the dresser blocking the locked door. He unlocked the door and went into the bathroom. After relieving himself he made his way back to his dark room. 

Redoing the locking charm on the door, (but not the silencing charm since everyone was probably asleep), and then uttering the spell to put the dresser back in front of the door he heard a small giggle coming from behind him.

"Harry what are you doing?" He froze at the sound of Hermione's small giggling voice.

"Lumos" he muttered so he could see her. She looked amazing, like an angel. Her hair was pulled away from her glowing face, and she was in a white tank top and short, white pajama bottoms.

But he couldn't think like that anymore, he couldn't let her get hurt because of him. Guilt began to set in as he remembered her lifeless body in his dream. He new what he had to do.

"I… uhhhh… don't worry about it. What are you doing in here?" he questioned, he was losing his nerve.

He avoided her eyes, but looked at the spot next to where she was now standing. It was the place where they had first kissed, only a week ago. Pushing that image out of his head he finally looked up at her beautiful face.

Her smile was gone now, she looked serious. "Well, I came in here because I needed to talk to you about something." She was looking him dead in the eyes. Moments of silence passed by, fortunately they were used to this by now.

"What is going on? With us I mean?" she had done it, she asked the one question that had been on her mind for weeks now, since before she even visited him. Now all she could do was wait. Wait for an answer of some kind. Something to let her know he felt what she felt every time they kissed, that he wanted to be with her like she wanted to be with him. Little did she know she would be waiting in vane.

"Nothing." He said quietly, his voice filled with no emotion. He new this would be hard. His heart was in so much pain it was hard to breathe. He looked away from her, then back again.

Hermione's face went from serious/nervous, to extreme hurt and pain, to confusion all in a matter of seconds. "I'm sorry Harry I think I just hallucinated. Can you repeat that?" she asked.

"I said nothing. Nothing is going on between us." Another moment of silence passed.

She cracked a smile and laughed hesitantly, "Ha ha, Harry, but I'm not kidding around, I want to know what you really think about this, I NEED to know."

"Hermione I'm not joking, there is nothing between us." Still no emotion in his voice, but he looked away from her.

"What are you talking about?" she said with her voice wavering. She began to walk towards where he was standing by the door. He still avoided her face.

"Harry look at me." She said her voice sounding confused and hurt. He still didn't look at her. "I SAID LOOK AT ME!" she shouted now sounding angry. She was standing only a foot away from him now.

He looked up at her face. She had a single tear coming out of her left eye. "What do you mean there is nothing between us?" she asked her voice cracking. "I mean what about the mirror? You said you saw me….You kissed me…. Twice, and now you say that…. there….. there is nothing between us?" she was speaking slowly, to say this without breaking into sobs.

Harry just stood there and watched her struggle so hard not to cry. Little did she know, he was struggling with the same problem.

"Say something." She said to his face. He didn't speak, he looked away. He couldn't, this was so hard.

"SAY SOMETHING YOU COWARD!" she shouted, stomping her foot, her tears falling freely now. She didn't deserve to be treated like this, they didn't deserve this. He new if he told her the truth she would ignore his dream, and say they could fight it together. He did the only thing he could think to do…… LIE.

"I'm sorry Hermione, I…. I just wanted to see what it would be like to kiss you. That's all." His voice was still monotone. He looked at the expression on her face, yup, he had really said it out loud. There was no turning back now.

"What?" she said in disbelief. "I don't believe that for one second Harry, don't lie to me," sniffling, she searched his face for answers but got none. "What about the mirror then?" she said sounding more determined.

"I'm sorry, I lied about that too. I never saw you." He couldn't believe how hard this was. Her tears were exploding down her face. He just wanted to hold her and make the pain they were both feeling stop, but he couldn't.

"How could you do that to me?" she took a gulp of air and wiped her eyes. "TO ME? YOUR BEST FRIEND?" She stopped for a moment to breathe, 'at least she could breathe', Harry thought. "I thought you cared about me?" she asked, her voice cracking, tears coming down again.

"I do, just not like you want me to." He said feeling horrible, and his guilt now shown in his voice.

"THAT'S A LOAD OF SHIT HARRY, AND YOU KNOW IT!" she shouted. She turned from him, and walked over to his bed. She needed to sit. 'This doesn't seem right' she thought. "WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?" she shouted again still crying.

"Hermione, I wanted to see what it would be like to kiss you, now I have, and I'm done, we're done. We can go back to being friends again. Like we were before, and we can pretend this never happened." He said walking to where she sat, and grabbed the picture of the trio off his small bedside dresser.

"We can go back to being these people." He said looking at the picture of them laughing so happily.

She jumped up off the bed practically knocking him over, and she grabbed the picture out of his hands.

"THIS? THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT TO BE? THIS IS CRAP!" she was screaming through her tears.

Before he new it, she hurled the picture as hard as she could at the wall by the door. The frame shattered into pieces, as did his heart. She stood there breathing heavily for a few seconds, regaining her composure. Harry just starred at the spot on the wall where the frame hit.

"Ya know what Harry. That's FINE, that's just fucking FINE. You wanna be my FRIEND again, then that's FINE!" she said the words 'friend' and 'fine' so snidely that Harry flinched. "You're being such a coward, you won't even look at me!" she said, her voice cracking again.

This set Harry off. He was being terrible to her, but a coward? He was doing this to protect her. To keep her from being hurt, or…… killed.

"YA KNOW WHAT HERMIONE? THE REASON WHY I FEEL NOTHING FOR YOU, IT'S BECAUSE YOU'RE AN INSUFFERABLE KNOW-IT-ALL! YOU THINK YOU'RE ALWAYS RIGHT, WELL YOU'RE WRONG!" His anger and hate left over from his dream all came flooding back in that one second. "YOUR WRONG ABOUT ME, AND YOUR WRONG ABOUT US!" The strength of his anger made his hairs stand on end, like static electricity. Hermione felt her hairs stand on end as well. Then the shock of what he said about her set in. His anger softened, and he only felt regret. "Oh, Hermione, no I…", but she cut him off.

"Your not who I thought you were" she said with her tears streaming down her shocked face.

She walked over to his door, and with the wave of her pissed off hand she magically threw the dresser out of the way and it slammed up against the opposite wall, missing Harry by mere centimeters. She unlocked the door with her wand and started to pull it open a crack, but turned and looked at him first.

"See you around, FRIEND!" The tone in her voice sounded just like Malfoy's, that tone hurt more than the shouting and stomping put together. She turned back around and walked through the door, slamming it so hard behind her that it rattled the house.

"Hermione what happened?" Ron asked, standing in his bedroom doorway. It was apparent that their shouting had woken him up, as well as Ginny, who was now rushing to her side. Hermione just looked up at his worried face and broke down into a fit of sobs, as Ginny and Ron helped her back up the stairs and into her and Ginny's room.

They settled her into her bed, and she heard Ginny ask Ron to get a box of tissues and a warm wash cloth from the bathroom and a glass of water from the kitchen.

Confused and worried about his friend's mental state, he obeyed his sister's orders without question. As soon as he left the room Hermione looked up at Ginny.

"So you heard all that?" she asked through tears.

"It was kind of hard not to…" Ginny said feeling a little embarrassed for listening in.

"Ginny he was so horrible to me, the things he said, I just don't understand…" she began to cry harder.

"Hermione, I don't understand either, I know he feels something for you, he told me so Yesterday. I'm not sure what this is about." Ginny said. 'But I'm sure as hell going to find out' she thought.

"I'm going to go see what's taking Ron so long, I will be right back."

Ginny walked out of the bedroom and shut the door. Ron was walking towards her. "How is she?" he asked with his worried hands full with a glass of water, a box of tissues, and a dripping wash cloth.

"She's upset, crying, and feels like crap Ron, how do you think she is?" Ginny said sarcastically.

"But Gin, why is she so upset, why were they fighting like that? I feel so confused. Like I'm missing something." Ginny just gave him a small smile, "You didn't hear what they were shouting about?"

"No, I was asleep, I woke up to Harry shouting but I couldn't hear what he was saying, then I got up and opened my door to hear better, that's when she opened his door and broke down." He said still looking confused… the poor git. "Why you heard them Gin? What were they fighting about?" he asked hoping that he would get some answers.

"Ron, I'm not to sure myself. I only caught the same amount you did." She lied, it wasn't her place to tell him everything she heard them say. "You should go in their and keep an eye on Hermione, make sure she doesn't need anything else. I'm going to talk to Harry." She announced and started to walk away.

"Ginny shouldn't you be in there with her, and I should go talk to Harry?" he asked with a little laugh.

"No Ron, something tells me if you ask Harry the questions that you want answers to right now, you might come out with a bloody nose." She said with a little laugh, though she was completely serious.

Confused yet again, Ron just agreed and walked into Hermione's room with a deep breath.

Ginny made her way down the stairs and silently into Harry's room. She was getting her answers one way or another. Even if she had to beat them out of him, which at this point, was a good option.

"Harry, what happened?" She asked as she shut the door behind her. He was laying on his bed, looking up at the ceiling so intently, like it was telling him a story.

"Ginny get out… Now isn't the right time to talk." He said flatly, though she could hear the hurt in his voice.

"Harry James Potter, you will tell me why my best friend is an emotional train wreck right now, or so help me Merlin I will send you back to Privet Drive faster than you can say Bat Bogey Hex!" she meant business, and he could tell. That was two threats in one!

Harry sat up and looked at her. "You may want to sit down for this." He said glumly. As soon as she sat, she looked at him to continue, and he did. He told her the whole story, the dream, the way he really felt, and everything that was said when they fought, even though she heard almost the whole fight.

"Wow" was all Ginny could say. She let her thoughts catch up to her. "You really are a prat, you know?" she told him. He looked at her in disbelief. "HUH?"

"Just because you broke her heart doesn't mean she will stop loving you!" Ginny said shaking her head.

Harry sat there in shock, thinking about what she had just said.

"Well at least when you two fight, you fight with passion!" she said laughing, looking at the broken pieces of glass on the floor and the dent on the wall from where the frame hit. Then Ginny got up and walked out the door, leaving Harry to his thoughts. 

"What did I just do?"

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A/N- Okay I'll duck and cover, while you guys throw stuff at me. I know this chapter is really... Angsty... but it was either really angsty or really fluffy, and I just was not in the proper mood to write fluffy stuff. Please leave me a review... even if you hate it.


	8. Regrets

Chapter 8: Regrets 

As Ginny shut the door to Harry's room, she thought about what he said to her, "That must have been one hell of a dream he had." She began to walk down the hallway when she heard Harry's bedroom door open behind her.

"Gin, wait." She heard him call.

"Harry, what is it? I have a friend upstairs who's heart is broken. She really needs me right now." Ginny sounded really pissed off.

"I need your help." He asked.

Ginny turned around and looked at him with one eyebrow raised. "What could you possibly need help with?"

"I thought about what you said. About how even though I broke her heart, she is still going to keep on loving me."

She laughed at the fact that he was actually listening to her.

"Well… I need you to help make Hermione fall out of love with me, but still manage not to hate me." He looked at her with glassy eyes.

Ginny starred at him in disbelief. How could he even consider asking her to help with something like that. Especially after everything Hermione already had to endure because of him tonight.

"Harry, it's not that simple. She has loved you for a while. She may have only just admitted it, but I know that she has loved you for a long time. She is not just going to suddenly stop." Ginny was looking very worried.

"And furthermore, I won't help you, I refuse. Hermione does not deserve to be lied to by her best friends. You already hurt her enough. I am not going to hurt her too." Ginny shot him an evil glare and stalked off to her room.

"Stupid prat, thinks I am going to help him ruin my best friends love life." Ginny mumbled to herself going up the steps.

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"Hermione are you alright?" Ron asked her again for the fourth time.

He was getting worried. She had been laying in the bed not moving for the past 15 minutes. It was as if she were catatonic. Her glassy eyes just starred at a spot on the wall beside Ron.

Hermione was lost in her own brain. Her mind was trying to avoid thinking about what just happened, so she blocked out all noise and thought. She just starred.

Finally she felt a warm hand on her cold arm. It shook her lightly taking her out of her comatose state. "Hermione, talk to me. Please!" Ron's stern voice asked. She turned her head to face him, and blinked vigorously as tears started to well up in her eyes again.

"Oh bloody hell, don't start crying again… I can't take it when girls cry Hermione. I get all flustered. You know that." He said with a sort or nervous laugh.

Hermione broke a small smile at his nervousness and wiped her tears off her face. Then she reached over and hugged him. "Thanks Ron." Her sniffles started to go away.

"For what?" he asked her confused.

"For being you. For being here. For being a great friend" She smiled softly at him.

"I didn't do anything yet, but your welcome." He forced a smile.

"Hermione what happened? Why do you look like some one ran over Crookshanks?" Ron looked so worried for her, Hermione couldn't help but feel thankful that she had him and Ginny to help her.

"Crookshanks is fine Ron. I just got into a really bad… Argument… with Harry. He said some things that were… Well let's just say they were not so friendly. I got REALLY angry, and…. That's pretty much it." Hermione spoke very slowly, choosing the right words to say. She did not want Ron to be more worried than he already was.

"Well I figured you two were fighting, I mean I heard the shouting. Do you want me to try and talk to Harry for you?" Hermione smiled at his willingness to help.

"No thanks Ron, I am afraid this fight has gone beyond outside help. If Harry wants to apologize to me then that's fine, but I don't think he will." Her words sounded so final. Ron wasn't sure what to think. Then a sudden realization came across him.

"Hermione, you still haven't told me what you were arguing about, or why you were in his room so late." He asked with a smug look on his face.

Hermione blushed. She didn't know what to say, or even how to say it. Thankfully she didn't have to. Ginny walked in the door, saving her from embarrassment once again.

"Hey!" Ginny said brightly as she saw her friend sitting up in the bed, with a much less puffy, tear free face.

"Hi Gin, where were you?" Hermione was curious why Ginny had left Ron alone with her so long, when she needed some girl talk.

"Oh I just had to do some damage control." The smirk on her face was priceless.

"Damage control?" Ron and Hermione both asked in unison.

"Well I threatened Harry with a Bat Bogey Hex, and told him that I would send him back to his Aunt and Uncles house if he ever hurts your feelings again." Ginny's smirk grew into a huge smile as she saw Ron's proud face.

"Gin, remind me to stay on your good side." Ron laughed.

Hermione, on the other hand, was not as happy about what Ginny had to say. "Gin, you shouldn't have done that. Even if he…. Hurt my feelings… he doesn't deserve to be put back in that awful house." She paused, her frown suddenly turning into a smile. "But the hex sounded like a fine idea to me." Hermione and Ginny began to laugh. Ron stood there with a smile on his face.

"I just know you and Harry will work out your argument, and be friends again in no time. I'll stay out of it if you want me too…. But don't ever scare me again like you did tonight Hermione. I was so worried that it was something REALLY awful."

Hermione just gave Ginny a quick awkward glance, and turned back to face Ron with a fake smile. "I am sure you're right, some day we will be friends again."

"Listen I am getting tired, all this crying has wiped me out. I am going to sleep now, before I stay up all night thinking about what happened." Hermione gave Ginny a look of pleading help. Before Ron could protest, Ginny had shoved him out of the room. "Goodnight Ron!" 

"Thanks Gin. He was starting to ask questions. I know sometime soon I will have to answer those questions, but for now, I would rather just sleep."

"Alright, But we will talk some more in the morning. Goodnight Hermione."

"Sleep tight Gin."

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Morning had come, unfortunately the sun did not. It seemed that the day reflected the mood Harry was in. Overcast skies, rumbling thunder in the distance, sudden bursts of down-pouring rain, mostly just sprinkling though. It was as though mother-nature had been in this very room last night.

Harry had spent most of the night before, awake in his room. He had caught himself dozing twice, and would jolt himself awake. He refused to sleep. He refused to see her dead body pass through his dreams. It was the most horrible thing he had ever seen in his life.

"Okay kids, breakfast is almost ready!" Harry heard Mrs. Weasley shout from the kitchen below. Harry considered skipping breakfast this morning, and he would have, if his stomach wasn't screaming curses at him.

He took a deep breath in, and let it out slowly. "Okay, I will go down, eat a quick breakfast and come right back up here." That was the plan. Avoid all conflict and questions about last night.

When he arrived in the kitchen everyone looked up at him. Ginny gave him an evil glare, Ron looked like he wanted to talk to him, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were wondering why their kids had gotten so quiet when Harry walked into the kitchen, and Hermione…. Hermione wasn't there. 'Where is Hermione?' he thought to himself.

His brain was racing a mile a minute. 'Is she alright, is she hurt, did Riddle get to her?' The worried expression on his face must have shown, because Ginny spoke angrily.

"Hermione wasn't feeling very well, she decided to sleep in late today before she has to pack." The words from her mouth were like ice.

"Pack?" He asked as his pulse speeded up.

"Oh yes Harry dear, Hermione decided this morning. She is going to spend some time at home with her family before you all have to go back to Hogwarts. She said she has been neglecting them for an unworthy cause. It was quite strange, the way she was acting." Mrs. Weasley spoke. "She is leaving at 6 tonight, before dinner."

Harry felt his heart fall into his stomach. He no longer felt hungry, he just felt pain. She was leaving, and it was because of him. Harry knew that it was for the better, her not being around him. But still, he would not be able to look at her beautiful face, and he couldn't keep her safe if she was at home.

He needed to see her before she left. 

He also needed to talk to Dumbledore about getting a protection spell around Hermione's house, and maybe a few guards, and a watch dog as well. No, make that two watch dogs.

"Harry dear, are you going to just stand there and watch us eat, or are you going to join us? You look so tired." Mrs. Weasley looked worried.

"Yes, err, sorry." He sat down beside Ron, and grabbed a piece of toast. "I didn't sleep much." His eyes flicked up to Ginny, who was still giving him an evil glare, as a true best friend would.

"Oh, Harry, I nearly forgot. Professor Dumbledore is going to meet you hear at 10:30. You two have some things that need to be discussed." Mr. Weasley spoke as he was excusing himself from the table, to leave for work.

Harry breathed a sigh of relief. He could ask Dumbledore about the protection regarding Hermione's house. "Well I better get moving then. Thanks for breakfast Mrs. Weasley." He got up from the table and started to go up the stairs.

"Your welcome, but Harry you hardly ate." Her words fell on deaf ears, as he was already up the stairs.

Once he reached the top floor of the burrow, he stood starring at the door in front of him. Hermione was in there, he wanted to talk to her so badly.

He wanted to say it was all a mistake, he didn't mean it, and he wanted to be with her more than anything.

While he wanted to say all those things, he knew he couldn't. He was too stubborn to tell her the truth, and refused to let her get hurt because of him. So he just stood there, starring at the door in front of him. Knowing all he had to do was open the door and he could see her face.

He reached out and put his hand on the knob. He held in there for a minute, then let go as his hand began to strangely tingle.

He then moved his hand up to a part of the door above the knob, and pressed it against the wood. Then he rested his forehead against the frame of the door. The hallway began to spin, or maybe it was in his head, he wasn't sure. 

Losing his nerve he backed away from the door and went back down the steps.

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Inside her room Hermione was sadly packing. She had decided that going home for a week would be her best option.

She needed a break from seeing Harry. She knew that going away was not going to make her feelings for him just disappear, but at least she would have the comfort of her own bed to cry in.

She was just folding up her favorite pair of jeans when she felt something. Almost on instinct she turned to look at the bedroom-door. She could feel his presence. "Harry" she whispered.

She needed to talk to him, ask him questions about why he spoke to her that way. She needed to tell him that she still wanted to be with him.

Hermione walked over to the door and put her hand on the door knob. She held it there for a minute and felt a tingling sensation go through her hand, and then let go.

She starred at her hand for a second and then touched the door just above where the knob was, and her other hand was on the door frame. It felt like the room was spinning. It made her arm hairs stand on end.

This was the strangest feeling in the world. She knew he was on the other side of the door, she could feel his presence. When the hairs on her arm finally settled back to normal she turned the knob on the door, flung it opened, and saw…… Nothing, No one was there.

"But I could have sworn I felt him there." Hermione thought out loud. A single tear drop fell from her eye as she turned around and closed the door behind her.

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Harry waited in the living room for Dumbledore to arrive. He wasn't sure what to expect. He hadn't spoken to him since the end of the school term, though by now any angry feelings and resentment he had were mostly gone.

He had so many questions. Questions about the attack on Moody the day before, about protecting Hermione's house, about his birthday gift (the necklace). He wasn't sure where to start.

"Ahem" A wise voice pulled him out of his thoughts. 

Harry turned and saw his mentor.

Dumbledore was smiling and had a familiar twinkle in his eye. He adjusted his half moon spectacles to see a better view of Harry. Then he approached him cautiously, not sure whether he was still angry with him for last terms mistakes.

When he saw a slight smile from Harry, Dumbledore let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

"How was your summer so far, Harry?"

Harry answered casually, not wanting to get into to much detail yet. "It's been fine so far, sir."

Ron, Ginny, and Hermione all walked into the room to say there hellos to the professor. Hermione was being especially careful not to even glance at Harry. This did not go unnoticed by the others in the room.

"Well" Dumbledore interrupted. "I would hate to keep our greetings so short, but Harry and I really must be going. Our appointment is in less than 30 minutes."

"What appointment? Where are we going?" Harry felt so confused, like he was missing something.

After the others left the room Dumbledore turned to Harry. "I figured Arthur didn't want to tell you himself. We are going back to the ministry offices." Harry drew in a sharp breath. Dumbledore continued.

"There is some news you would be interested in. Sirius Black was cleared of all charges. They found the supporting evidence given by certain members of the ministry, and myself, to be sufficient and the case was brought back to Fudge. He needs you to come in and sign some papers so he can release the news to the public." Dumbledore finished is little speech, looking at Harry carefully.

Harry silently walked over to the couch and sat down, not really feeling his legs anymore. He thought for a moment, then a smile broke across his face as he finally spoke. "So, that's great. Sirius is no longer considered a…. a…. murderer. But why do I need to go sign papers, what does it have to do with me?"

"I thought you might ask that. Well you see, Sirius also left a will. He left you in charge of his affairs, among other things. The ministry has to read the will in your presence, and you have to sign a few documents."

Once again Harry lost feeling in his legs, but he was already sitting down so he couldn't do anything about it.

"I, uh, er…" He paused to collect his thoughts. "Well, I guess we should be going then." This was all Harry could manage to say.

"As you wish."

Dumbledore pulled a polka dot orange and yellow bow tie out of his pocket and pointed his wand to it. "Portus".

He motioned for Harry to grab hold of it. As Harry touched it Dumbledore spoke "Three, Two, One." And he felt that tug in his stomach, and watched his surrounding whirl around him.

When Harry finally felt the ground beneath his feet, he looked around wishing that he never had come back to this place.

All of those emotions from last term came rushing back in a matter of seconds. "Sirius" he whispered, while looking around at the lobby. He was instantly reminded of all the horrors of that night. He felt his throat become too tight to swallow, and the tears threatening to come. But he pushed them back down. Now wasn't the right time to get emotional.

Dumbledore stood there, knowing that Harry might need a minute to prepare himself. When Harry looked hesitantly up into his eyes, he knew it was time to continue.

"Alright, you need to register your wand at the desk. I assume you remember this from last time?" Dumbledore smirked, remembering all the trouble Harry managed to get himself into over the years, just like his father and Sirius.

"Yes Sir" and he walked glumly over to the security desk for his registration.

After Harry's wand was registered, and he had been searched properly, they headed to the elevators. "I believe it is Level Two, Office of Magical Law Enforcement. Mr. Weasley and Remus should be waiting in the office already."

"I didn't know they would be here!" Harry's voice sounded more anxious than excited. While he was glad to see Lupin, and Mr. Weasley, he wasn't sure he wanted them to be around for the reading of the will. He was afraid he might get upset during the reading.

"Yes Harry, there are some parts of the will that pertain to them, so the must be present as well."

All this talk of Sirius's will was beginning to take a toll on Harry. He realized that Sirius was gone, but discussing it so casually was tearing him apart inside.

As the elevator descended to level two, Harry began to wonder what else he would have to deal with today. Hermione was leaving this evening, Sirius's will was being read in a matter of minutes, not to mention all the questions he would be bombarded with when he got home. He was tired just thinking about it.

The elevator stopped, the doors opened, and Dumbledore walked out. Harry did not move. He couldn't bring himself to leave the elevator.

"Harry, I know you don't want to be here, but this is something that must be done. It is now your responsibility to see that the public knows of Sirius's innocence." Dumbledore spoke knowingly.

It was this that brought him to his senses. Sirius Blacks name would be cleared the moment he signed whatever papers Fudge had drawn up! Harry smiled and walked out of the elevator and down the hallway silently by Dumbledore's side.

"It's in this office, right?" Harry asked, stopping in front of a door.

Dumbledore nodded to show he was correct, and they entered the room.

After all of the greetings, Harry took a seat next to Lupin, who looked as if the world had ended. Harry had not considered how hard this would be on Lupin. He lost his best friend after just getting him back.

Mr. Weasley was sitting on the other side of Harry, waiting silently for the meeting to begin. Harry wondered why he was there.

Dumbledore stood before the three men. "I have in my hand, an envelope containing Sirius Blacks will." He began to open the envelope. "I will read you his last wishes, rights, and words. You will agree to the terms, and sign for any responsibilities Mr. Black has asked of you. If you choose not to accept these responsibilities…"

Harry didn't listen to the rest, he let his mind drift. 'Dumbledore sounded so formal, Sirius would have hated this meeting. He would be bored out of his mind.' Harry thought.

Dumbledore cleared his throat, indicating that he was ready to begin reading Sirius's will out loud.

"I Sirius Black, of sound mind, hereby leave all of my possessions to Harry James Potter; Including my home at 12 Grimmauld Place, All possessions inside of it, my motorbike currently in Hagrid's Possession, and my 3 vaults at Gringotts and all gold and possessions inside. Vault 921 was your parents and may not be opened until you are of age as requested by Lily and James in their will. Vault 1024 was mine, and Vault 1225 was my parents, you may visit these vaults at any time you wish." Dumbledore paused for a minute to let this sink in.

He handed Harry four keys. Three to the Vaults, one to the house.

Harry felt overwhelmed by all of this. His eyes were wide with shock. What was he to do with all of this?

"I hereby leave Custody of my godson, Harry James Potter, to none other than my best friend, Remus Lupin until Harry is of age. In the event that Mr. Lupin is unable to care for Mr. Potter due to unforeseeable circumstances, Custody should be turned over to Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Weasley."

Harry looked over at Remus to see his reaction. He was smiling, though Harry recognized this as an understandably bittersweet smile. Mr. Weasley still had the same expression he did earlier, he had not seemed surprised at all. 'He must have already known what was in Sirius's will.' He thought.

"I have left a message to my friends and godson in the event that I passed. Albus Dumbledore will present this message after all paper work has been signed."

With that said, Dumbledore took out a few sheets of parchment and a quill, and put them in front of Harry. "Read these over and sign, Remus you must sign as well because Harry is not of age yet."

After all the papers had been signed Dumbledore took out a Pensieve. He raised his wand to his temple and extracted a silvery strand of thought, and he placed it into the bowl. Then he looked up at the three before him. "Are you ready?" They all nodded in agreement.

Dumbledore put the tip of his wand back into the Pensieve and pressed it against the silvery swirl.

A moment later a man came into view. It was Sirius, standing above the bowl with a smirk on his face. Harry heard that familiar bark-like laugh, and already felt as if he would break down at any moment.

"So, I guess I kicked it then" the image laughed. "Well all I have to say about that is, I better have gone out fighting! I should hope I have not passed on in some sissy way." Then Sirius's image turned to Lupin.

"Remus, My old friend. So you are the last loyal Marauder left. Let's hope you're the one to rub off on Harry, and not me." He laughed at himself.

"Raise him well mate. And do let him have fun, though not as much fun as I had at that age, or you might have a heart attack and be seeing me way before your time." Lupin was now laughing at the memory of their school days.

"On a more serious note, sorry I'm not there to help you out in the final war. Yes I said FINAL war. I know that this will be the last time Voldemort ruins the lives of innocent people. Harry will stop him. Help him believe in himself, teach him everything he needs to know, and then some." He winked at his friend, and Lupin smiled, obviously knowing what he was talking about.

"Arthur, I know we already discussed what would happen to Harry if I were to suddenly snuff it. But I just wanted to thank you for understanding, and for being there to help Harry for those years I couldn't be. It means more to me than you will ever know."

"Dumbledore, thanks for all your help. See you soon OLD MAN!" Dumbledore laughed at Sirius's joke.

Sirius paused looking directly at Harry, tears welling in his eyes he continued.

"Harry, I'm so sorry I left you there. I wish I could have stayed. You were one of the only things in this world that made me truly happy and to know that I can't see you again is killing me inside. We got to spend so little time together and I know it's not fair. Just know that I loved you as if you were my own son." Sirius paused again and smiled.

"I know that by now you have read my will. You must be shocked that I left it all to you, and wondering why I left nothing to Remus. He will explain that to you later." He cast a knowing look at Lupin, then turned back to Harry.

"I hope by now Dumbledore has told you of you're destiny. Just know that whatever happens, I know that you will do your best. I know that you will not make the mistakes your father and I have made. I know that you will be stronger than we were. And I most certainly know that you will be the one who defeats the sorry bastard." Harry smiled at the image of Sirius, and laughed.

"Harry, just because your fate has been decided for you, it doesn't mean all aspects of your life are predetermined. Don't give up on life or love. I know you are as stubborn as your father, and you probably are going to shut people out. Well stop it!"

He looked right into Harry's eyes. "Well, just know that I am with you wherever you go, and I will always protect you. Stay safe, and don't do anything I WOULD do." Sirius laughed and winked at Harry and then began to fade back into the Pensieve.

Harry turned his face and wiped his eyes. Only a few tears managed to escape. 'That wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.' He thought, then he looked up at Lupin. He saw him wiping his eyes as well, and Dumbledore didn't look as well composed as he usually did.

After a minute or two Mr. Weasley broke the silence clearing his throat. "Well I better be getting back to my office. They will be waiting for me." He said his goodbyes, and walked out of the room speaking softly to Dumbledore.

Harry looked at Lupin, who was sitting silently, starring at the pensieve. "So what do you have to explain to me?" Harry asked.

Lupin cleared his throat, and looked at Harry. "Well, you are probably wondering why Sirius left me nothing of monetary value…" Harry cut him off.

"Yes I am wondering.You were friends with him longer, you should have something, I have enough money, I don't need three more Vaults. You should have the house, and pretty much everything else." Harry looked upset, but Lupin was smiling at him.

"Harry, Sirius left me everything I wanted from him." He said to Harry with a large smile, and it looked as if he were going to cry.

"What are you talking about?" Harry felt confused. Sirius didn't leave Lupin anything.

Lupin's voice cracked as he spoke.

"He left me you."

--------------------------------

The afternoon was almost done, Harry had spent most of it in his room thinking. He hadn't felt like talking much to anyone. He felt completly drained.

He didn't ask Dumbledore any questions, but they had another meeting scheduled for two days from now. Harry wanted to discuss moving into Grimmauld Place before school started.

It was now 5:45 p.m., Hermione was due to leave minutes from now.

He had to talk to her before she left. 

What Sirius had said about his life not being predetermined really stuck with him.

He knew she would be mad at him, but he needed to try to get her back, even if he could only manage to get her friendship.

"At least if I have her friendship she will still be in my life."

He walked up the steps to her room for the second time that day. Only this time he intended to go in.

Harry reached the door, and just walked right in, he couldn't knock or he might change his mind and chicken out again. 

As he slammed the door shut behind him, he noticed Hermione standing there with her arms crossed in front of her as if she were expecting him. She gave him a glare.

Hermione had felt him coming before he opened the door. "What are you doing up here? Can't you just let me leave in peace?" her words were bitter.

"Hermione I came up here to talk to you. I needed to see you before you left. I needed to talk to you." He looked into her beautiful eyes, they looked so hurt. It killed him to know that he caused that pain in her eyes.

"Didn't you say enough last night?" she scoffed at him, then turned her back to him, grabbing her bags.

He didn't say anything to her, he just starred. She was so beautiful

"I thought I meant something to you? Why would you let me fall for you if you were just going to hurt me? Harry I thought you were better than that." She still had her back to him, but he could tell she was crying again.

"I feel bad about what I said last night, and how I said it." He desperately wanted her to stop crying.

Hermione turned back to look at him.

"YOU FEEL BAD? Ha, that's funny Harry. I feel horrible. I feel like my heart got torn out and trampled on, but you feel bad! I'm still in love with you, but you feel bad! Well here's what I think abou-" but he held up his hand in a motion for her to stop yelling at him.

He was a little shocked that she said she was in love with him. When she figured out what Sirius's mirror really did, it had been implied that she loved him, but she never said the actual words out loud. But now wasn't the right time to mention that.

"I didn't come up here to fight with you Hermione. I wanted to say goodbye. I wanted to tell you that I will miss you. And I wanted to give you this." He held his hand out to her, with an envelope in it.

Hermione looked at his hand as if it were foreign. Then she took the envelope from his hand and looked up at him. "What is it?"

"It's a letter. Just read it when you get home. Be safe, and be careful. I don't want you to get hurt." he smiled at her. "I will miss you more than you know." Harry took a step towards her, and pulled her into his arms. He held Hermione in an embrace for a minute while she stood completely frozen in his arms.

As he released her he turned around to go out the door. But this time it was Hermione's turn to shock him.

Hermione grabbed his arm to stop him, and pulled him around so he was facing her, and she kissed him. Just like he did to her the first time they had kissed. This was a more brief kiss, but it was a kiss none the less.

Harry could feel her passion for him the moment her lips touched his, and he could still feel it the moment her lips left his. She was intoxicating.

It was Harry's turn to stand there in shock as Hermione released him, grabbed her bags and walked out the door. His mind was still racing as she disapeared down the steps.

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When Hermione had taken her portkey home the first thing she could think of, was to read Harry's letter. She went right up to her room, threw down her bags and began to read.

Hermione,  
I am so sorry for the way I treated you. I regret the way things ended. I regret that they ended before they even really began. And I regret that I hurt you. I hope one day you can forgive me for what I had to do. Please don't ask me why, just know that I had to do it, and had good reason. I just hope that we can one day have the amazing friendship we had before I went and screwed it all up. Please forgive me for being the biggest git in the wizarding world.

Harry

With tears in her eyes, she folded up the letter.

He said he wanted their friendship back. She wanted more than friendship. But she couldnt risk losing him again.

"Well at least if I am his friend, I can still be in his life." she thought out loud and sighed.

She fell onto her bed and sobbed into her pillow thinking about a whole week of not seeing his face.  
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	9. Midnight Visitor

Chapter 9: Midnight Visitor

It had been two days since Hermione left the burrow. Harry missed her terribly, but he knew that she needed some time to sort out her feelings.

He also hadn't slept more than an hour a night for the past few weeks. The last time he slept through the night had been when Hermione was in his room with him. It was beginning to take a toll on his personality. Even Ginny had told him he needed to get some sleep, though she was still angry with him for the whole Hermione situation.

Sitting on the couch in the living room in the burrow, he was waiting for Dumbledore to arrive with Lupin. They were scheduled to have another meeting regarding him moving to Grimmauld place before school started in two weeks, among other things that needed to be discussed.

"Harry, you really need to get some sleep, you look like shit mate." Ron told him.

"You never were the subtle type Ron. Yes I know I need to sleep more, I just can't fall asleep at night." Harry lied.

The truth was, if he shut his eyes right now, he would fall asleep in a half second. Unfortunately, that sleep would be plagued with nightmares of a dead Hermione. He refused to watch her limp body lay there on the ground.

Ron looked at him skeptically. Then he decided to change the subject.

"What do you reckon Dumbledore wants to talk to you about today?" Ron asked.

Harry had already told him about Sirius's will. He only mentioned the house belonging to him, he didn't mention the vaults. Harry knew Ron was never comfortable talking about money, so he saw fit not to mention it.

"I guess they want to talk about me and Remus living at Grimmauld place for the rest of the summer holiday. I think they also want to talk about the attack the other day, and I have a few things I wanted to ask them." Harry told him, while trying to stifle a yawn.

"Like, if I can come stay at Grimmauld place with you? You do want me to come and stay too, right?" Ron looked excited.

"Of course I want you to stay, but your mum said she doesn't want you there for the whole rest of vacation." Harry looked around the room with tired eyes for a clock. It was 11:30 in the morning.

"Dumbledore should be here any minute, you discuss it with you mum while I'm gone, and when I get back, you can tell me what she has to say." Just as Harry watched Ron leave the room, there were two loud cracks. Instinctively Harry grabbed his wand and spun around to where the noise came from.

He looked up into the face of the person his wand was pointed at.

"Professor Dumbledore, you nearly scared me to death. You should put a bell on or something when you are apparating!" Harry laughed, along with Lupin who was standing behind Dumbledore.

"Nice reflexes Mr. Potter. I dare say, I might have lost that battle had I been attacking you." Dumbledore smiled at him.

"Hello Harry, you ready?" Remus Lupin stepped out and handed Harry a hand full of Floo Powder.

"Yeah, I guess." Harry would never be ready to go back to that house, but he new it was time. Plus, it was the only private place they could discuss, all of the things that needed discussing.

They had all flooed right into the living room at 12 Grimmauld place. Harry took a look around.

It was different. Not as dark, or gloomy as the last time, the paint on the walls was new, and fresh. "Are we in the right place Professor?" Harry asked.

"Yes, we are. I made a few adjustments for you. I hope you don't mind." Dumbledore answered.

Harry began to wonder around. The house was drastically different. It no longer felt like a house of evil. As he walked down the hallway he noticed the place where Sirius's mother's portrait had hung, was empty.

"Where did the portrait go? I thought it wouldn't come off?" Harry asked.

"Well, I am assuming that when Sirius died, the last remaining Black ties to this house died with him. So I believe she removed her portrait herself. We are not sure where to though."

Harry laughed. This was great. He would be able to live here without that old hag yelling at every opportunity. "What about Kreacher?"

"Same for him, he was no longer tied to this house when the portrait of his mistress left, so he killed himself. Very sad indeed." Dumbledore said with a hidden smirk on his face and a twinkle in his eye.

Dumbledore continued, "I suppose you're wondering about Buckbeak? Well, Hagrid now has him. He had to go on a bit of a journey for Grawp. I figured Buckbeak would enjoy the fresh air." Harry nodded and continued to look around.

All the house elf heads were gone from the wall, replaced with family portraits, and pictures of his friends. Any door handles that previously had snakes on them, now had Phoenixes on them. This house was definitely different from the last time he remembered.

"Professor this is amazing. You did all this, just so I could live here? Thank you!" Harry was almost speechless, but he new that this was above and beyond the call of duty.

It was obvious that Lupin was also surprised by all the changes in the house, He went to the upper floors to have a look around.

"You're very welcome Harry. Now let's go down to the kitchen, we need to discuss a few things. Dobby will be making us lunch today. He will be you're personal house elf. Though he offered to do it for free, I assume Miss Granger would prefer you pay him." Dumbledore said with another twinkle in his eyes.

"Oh yes, of course Dobby will be paid. I wouldn't have it any other way. Hermione might kill me if I didn't offer to pay him." Harry laughed at the thought of her face seeing him with a house elf. Then his smile turned serious as he remembered he needed to discuss her house protection with Dumbledore.

Just as if Dumbledore had been reading his mind, he spoke up. "Yes Harry, Hermione's house is just as well protected as the burrow is. We would not want to risk Hogwarts star student's life, now would we?"

"Thank Merlin, I was really getting worried. But, what about when she leaves her house? Does she have guards watching her when she goes out?"

"There is no need for that Harry, I doubt she is in any real danger." 

Harry stopped and thought about it. His dream was when they were in school, they were not in school yet, so she should be fine. He made a mental note to not leave her side once they were in Hogwarts.

Lupin had just come back from exploring the upper floors of the house. "So are we ready for our discussion?" He sat down next to Dumbledore, across from Harry.

"Well, Harry, if you want to live here for the remainder of the holiday that is fine. It is your house, so you may invite whom ever you wish, to stay with you. There is only one rule. Remus must stay here as well, due to the fact that he is your guardian, and you are underage." Dumbledore looked at Harry.

"That sounds great to me!" Harry was excited to be living with Remus, he wanted to get to know him better.

"Also, next summer you will have to return to Privet Drive for a while. After your birthday you may return here." Harry's face fell when hearing this. He never wanted to go back to his aunt and uncle's house.

"We were lucky this year. Miss Granger agreed to go stay with you. She had a fit when we would not let you leave until your birthday. She said you would go mad in that house." Dumbledore laughed at the memory of the girl arguing with him through many letters. "We said that she could go stay with you until your birthday arrived. She agreed saying that it was better than you staying by yourself."

"So that's why she came to the house? She never told me why." He smiled thinking about Hermione having an argument with a professor. The Headmaster no less!

"Also, we figured you might have some questions regarding the attack the other day. We can't tell you everything, but we will try our best."

Harry sighed at this. But he figured that some answers are better than no answers at all.

"Well, why was Moody attacked in the first place?"

"He has been assigned to protect some one, and he was doing his duty while he was attacked. Thankfully another member of the order was around to keep him alive and take over his duty when he was sent to St. Mungos."

"Who was he protecting?" Harry knew he wouldn't get an answer, but he had to try. He hoped it wasn't himself that they were protecting.

"We can't answer that at the moment, it is not our place to tell you. You will find out soon enough." Dumbledore looked serious, very serious.

"Have you found out who it was that attacked? Was in Voldemort? Why would he want to attack in the first place?" So many questions popped into his head at once, he had to get them all out before he forgot them.

"We have not figured out who it was that attacked, though we have an idea. I don't believe it was Voldemort personally, though, I do believe it be on his orders. We can not tell you why he would attack in the first place, we can only tell you that he wants the person we have been protecting, and we can not allow him to have that person." Dumbledore looked over at Remus.

"I believe that is enough questions about the attack for today. When we know more, you will know more." Harry thought this conversation felt very familiar. Like last years fiasco. Only this time, he felt a little more informed.

"I also wanted to ask you about this." Harry pulled out his necklace from under his shirt. The Phoenix medallion shimmered under the light.

"I was wondering when you would ask about that." Lupin laughed, then looked at Dumbledore.

"It was your father's, he would have wanted you to have it."

"You told me that already in the letter, I was just wondering about the phoenix symbol. I figured it had something to do with the order." 

"Well you're not entirely wrong. The phoenix symbol is a bit of a coincidence. While your father was a member of the order, he had this necklace long before he joined. It was given to him by your grandfather who got it from your great-grandfather."

"Oh, but that still doesn't explain why there is a phoenix on it."

"All of the members of the original Order of the Phoenix had one Harry. I have a necklace myself, though I have no need for it now."

"Original order? You mean the order goes back as far as my great-grandfather?" 

"Yes, maybe even further. My father was in it, though it was under a different name back then. I changed it to the Order of the Phoenix when I re-established it. My father left his necklace to me, just as your father left his for you. They were the only two members of the original order to save the necklaces. Everyone else destroyed there own when the threat of evil at that time was gone." Dumbledore just looked at the medallion in Harry's hand.

"What did you mean before when you said you no longer have a need for it?" Dumbledore smiled at Harry's question.

"Well I am sure you noticed that I can apparate, even on Hogwarts ground. No one else can, it is sort of an 'unknown' Headmasters privilege." Dumbledore winked.

Harry nodded his head to show he understood. He always wondered how Dumbledore just 'showed up' at classrooms so quickly.

"Well this necklace allows you to apparate silently, no cracking noises, and the ministry can not track it, and it works on Hogwarts grounds as well." Harry's face lit up, he was going to be able to apparate!

"How does it work?" he asked excitedly.

"Well, you must be wearing around your neck first of all." Harry put the necklace back around his neck as soon as Dumbledore said that.

"Harry, before we show you how it works, I need to make sure that this necklace never leaves your sight. In the wrong hands, it can be a very deadly weapon. That is why all the other necklaces were destroyed. They feared that someone would try to use them for evil."

Harry let this sink in. It hadn't occurred to him that something as simple as a necklace could cause so much trouble. But thinking about it, this necklace could get past all the protection spells at Hogwarts, and it was untraceable to the ministry. That could be really bad.

"I won't take it off sir. No one will know what it does, except for Ron and Hermione. I can tell them right?" he asked hopefully, Ron would be so jealous!

"While I suppose no harm can come of them knowing, I would prefer you didn't say anything yet. It would be a rather tricky situation if they were to let it slip that they knew." 

Harry's smile fell. He wanted to tell them so badly. Now he had another secret to keep from them.

"They know everything else I am assuming?" Dumbledore looked at Harry with meaningful eyes.

"You mean the prophesy? No, I have not told them. I don't intend to either. They don't need to worry themselves about it." Harry looked at Lupin, who suddenly got a worried/sick look on his face. He assumed that Lupin knew already, he was obviously correct.

"I can't tell you what to do Harry, it is not my prophesy to tell. But I believe that they should know. It could benefit you greatly to be honest with them, not only about the prophesy, but with ALL secrets you have been keeping from them until this point."

Harry was startled by Dumbledore's forwardness.

'Was he talking about the dream I had about Hermione? Or was he talking about the fact that I was keeping my feelings for her from Ron. And for that matter, how does he always know?' he thought.

Harry looked over at Lupin to see if he knew what Dumbledore had been talking about. Remus looked as confused as ever, and just shrugged at Harry's questioning glance.

"I'll have to think about that." Harry spoke carefully. "So how does it work!" His green eyes widened with excitement.

"Well you need to close your eyes and concentrate on the place where you intend to go. Picture as much of the place as you can. Let the name of it echo in your mind. Then, when you have that level of concentration, place your thumb over the medallion. You will be transported to the place you wished to be." Dumbledore explained.

"Can I try it now?" Harry asked hopefully.

"I suppose. But I think you should only try to go to another room in the house for starters." Lupin answered him this time. He sounded nervous. Harry smiled at his worried expression. 'Already trying to keep me safe!' He thought.

Harry decided to try to go into the room he shared with Ron last time they stayed here. He closed his eyes and began to clear his mind of all other things, then he pictured the room as clearly as possible. He saw the high ceilings and the placement of the twin beds. Then when he couldn't picture it any clearer, he placed his thumb over the phoenix medallion and held his breath.

He waited a moment before opening his eyes.

When he heard the sounds of feet rushing up the stairs he finally opened his eyes.

"IT WORKED!" He shouted. "I'm in my old room guys, over here!" He had heard the professor and Lupin shouting from the stairs. They were looking for what room he was in.

As they were about to enter the room Harry closed his eyes and imagined the kitchen table, and the chair he was just in, and then touched the medallion. He heard the bedroom door open, but when he opened his eyes he was back in his chair in the kitchen, with a grin on his face.

"Harry James Potter, where did you go now?" Lupin yelled from above with a tone of worry.

"I am down here in the kitchen." Just as soon as he finished his sentence he heard two loud cracks. Dumbledore and Lupin materialized right in front of him, both with there own smirks of satisfaction.

"Looks like you're a natural Harry!" Dumbledore smiled at him, that twinkle in his eye shown even brighter than usual.

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Harry had decided to spend that evening in his new home. Lupin had agreed to stay the night as well. Unfortunately Ron was unable to come until the next night.

They spent the bulk of the evening talking about their favorite memories of Sirius; his laugh, his loyalty, and especially his motorbike.

As it had been late already, Harry had bid Remus goodnight, and went into his new room.

He was now staying in Sirius's old bedroom. They had kept all of Sirius's personal things in the room, and made few changes to it. It still had the tall bookshelves filled with books, and all of Sirius's old school pictures in it.

The room was also made brighter, and more livable.

The king sized bed was now covered in a deep blood red plush comforter, and had gold satin sheets. The walls were changed to wood paneling with gold trimming, which gave it that log cabin feeling. It also had a 'fake' fireplace added in it.

It was the perfect room to relax in.

Harry had felt so at peace talking so openly about Sirius. Finally talking about him in a good, happy way had lifted a great weight off his shoulders. For the first time in a while, Harry actually wanted to try and sleep. He thought that maybe he wouldn't have any nightmares.

He stripped down to his snitch boxer-shorts, and lay his head on the fluffy pillow, pulling the covers over his body. This bed felt as good as it looked.

Closing his eyes and sighing, he tried to get his mind to relax. Unfortunately, that was easier said than done. After 15 minutes of trying, the only thing he couldn't make leave his mind was Hermione's smile.

She was constantly on his mind, her perfect skin, those soft pink lips, and the way her face lit up every time she saw him. It was enough to drive him mad.

As his mind was focusing on Hermione, Harry felt an itch around his neck, and subconsciously ran his hand up to scratch it. As he scratched the area right by his medallion, his thumb accidentally brushed against the phoenix.

It wasn't as if he planned it, not that he minded what had happened. But when he opened his eyes, he was no longer in his room at Grimmauld place. He was in a room he had never seen before, laying in a bed that was not his own.

And this bed, was currently being occupied by one other body.

"Where the hell am I?" Harry whispered. He sat up in the bed, and looked around the dark room.

It had lots of shelves. They were filled with awards and books, though he could not see what awards or books in particular due to the darkness. There was a large dresser with some perfumes and make-up products on it. So this was defiantly a girl's room.

Then he saw a wand peeking out from under the pillow the girl was sleeping on. Not only was it a girl, but she was a wizard.

Harry crept slowly out of the bed, and walked around to the side that she was sleeping on. He had to see who it was, though he had a pretty good idea. He pulled the top of the covers down only a little. It revealed a mess of wild curly golden-brown locks. He brushed the hair out of her face, and saw that familiar smile he had been picturing only minutes ago.

It was Hermione, and she was asleep. It was as if she had become more beautiful since she had left two days before. Harry had to hold his breath, afraid he might wake her up by his unsteady breathing.

Suddenly that smile on her elegant face turned to a frown. Then Harry noticed tears start coming out of the corner of her closed eyes, streaking those perfect pink cheeks. Her body began to shiver, and she started tossing around in her bed.

"I won't let you hurt him, not again." She cried softly into her pillow. Harry watched her for a moment, wishing he could wake her up. But he knew better. If he woke her up, she would ask how he got there. He couldn't tell her about the medallion yet.

Crookshank's had jumped on the bed and nestled into Hermione's side as she continued to sob. He meowed at Harry, as if asking for help.

Harry sat down next to her on the bed, and laced his fingers with hers. 

This seemed to be an immediate calming affect on her whole body, like the night he went into her room at the burrow and saw her screaming in bed. She just relaxed with his touch.

He wondered if she had nightmares like those every night, and if she did, how she allowed herself to sleep at all.

After a few minutes it was almost as if she had never had a nightmare in the first place. The only sign being the tear stains on her face. Harry decided to stay for a just a few more minutes. He rested his head against the wall, and pulled her hand into his lap, her fingers still intertwined with his.

He would only stay for a minute more, really just a minute.

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Three hours later, a pull in his hand had jolted him out of a perfectly peaceful (nightmare free) slumber.

Hermione had rolled over, and pulled her hand from his own, causing him to wake up. She was still asleep. He looked over at the clock on her bedside table. 3:45 a.m. He had gone up to bed at Grimmauld Place around 12:30ish.

'I should really get back before Lupin realizes I'm gone.' He thought to himself.

Harry looked down at Hermione's sleeping form. She looked perfect, laying there next to him. He leaned down and kissed her forehead. 'What a way to wake up in the morning!' He thought.

Then he began to picture his room at Grimmauld place. He saw his bed, and his sheets, and the wooden walls around him. When he touched the medallion, he apparated silently back to his room with a large grin on his face.

Harry opened his eyes, and noticed that his bedroom door was wide open.

"I thought I closed that" He said out loud to himself. Getting out of his bed to shut the door, he heard a noise from the other side of the room.

"AHEM!"

Harry nearly jumped out of his skin. Lupin was in his room, looking more angry than he had ever seen him look before.

"Remus you scared me half to death." Harry laughed. The angry look never left Lupin's face.

"I scared you? Harry you have been gone for over 3 hours, there was no note, nothing. I thought you might have been kidnapped. I was so worried that I sent a letter to Dumbledore with Hedwig." Lupin had gotten out of the chair he had been sitting in and walked towards Harry.

"Harry where were you?" He asked, sounding a little more worried, and a little less angry.

"I was at Hermione's house." Harry said sounding like it was a normal thing to do at nearly 4 in the morning.

"Wha…. Uh… Oh." Remus blushed a little.

"I errr, wah-umm... I wasn't aware you t-two were, ahhh, seeing each other. How long have you been together?" Lupin stuttered a little bit, and blushed even more. He looked very uncomfortable.

"Together? She's not my girlfriend if that's what you're thinking." Harry answered. He didn't understand why Remus was acting so strangely. It was just Hermione's house.

"OH BLOODY HELL. Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!" Lupin began pacing the room like a maniac. He was biting his nails, and looked like he was going to throw up.

"Remus, are you alright?" Harry looked at him quizzically.

"No I am not alright. I knew I let you hang out with Sirius to much. I was afraid his promiscuous ways would rub off on you. And now they have. He was a wild one at your age. Oh my…." He covered his head in his hands, and continued to mumble while he paced.

Harry looked bewildered for a moment, and then it occurred to him what Remus was thinking. He began to laugh.

"Remus, she was asleep the whole time I was there." He said, thinking that would clarify the situation enough.

"Oh, that's even worse. She didn't even know you were…. y-you were…..oh my!" He rolled his eyes, and covered his redden face with his hands again.

"Remus, Ewww! I would never take advantage of her like that. How could you even think that?" Harry was astonished at what Lupin had insinuated.

"You mean, you and Hermione… you didn't… you're not…" Lupin's hands were still covering his face, though he was peaking through a whole between his fingers with one hopeful eye.

Harry couldn't help but laugh at the scene in front of him. Lupin looked too funny for words.

"No, were not… shagging. Remus, what would make you think that?" It was Harry's turn to blush now.

Lupin uncovered his face and looked at him with an eyebrow raised. "Well, you were gone for over 3 hours, to a girl's house in the middle of the night, and you come home with a stupid grin on your face, wearing only THAT!" He pointed at Harry's snitch boxer-shorts.

"Well, alright I can see how that would make you think…. But, I honestly wasn't planning on going to her house. It was an accident." Harry continued to tell him how he just thought about her and ended up in her room. Then he told him how she was having a nightmare, so he stayed to make sure she was alright and fell asleep.

"Oh, well, next time can you please leave me a note telling me where you are?" Lupin asked. Harry nodded.

"Sorry I jumped to conclusions." Lupin mumbled.

"It's alright, I can see why you did. Can I ask you one thing though?" Harry asked raising his eyebrow. Lupin nodded.

"What did you mean when you said Sirius was 'wild' at my age?" Harry smirked. 'Let's see you stumble your way out of this one Remus, he thought.

Lupin's face burned a bright red again.

"Oh, that. Well…. Harry you better sit down. This may take a while." Lupin looked even more nervous. He began to tell Harry tales from the day's when Sirius had every girl in the palm of his hand. Then he tried, unsuccessfully, to give Harry 'The Talk'.

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It was the night before Hermione was to arrive at Grimmauld place. Harry was a nervous wreck. Even Ron noticed Harry's current state and asked if he was alright.

Both Ron and Ginny had been staying with Harry and Lupin all week. Ginny, while still angry with Harry, needed a break from Mrs. Weasley, so she agreed to stay with them. Though that didn't change the fact that she would make comments to Harry every now and then, just to make him feel even more guilty about the Hermione situation.

Unbeknownst to Ron and Ginny, Harry had 'snuck out' every night to check up on Hermione, leaving a note just incase Lupin decided to check up on him again. Every night when he arrived, she would be having a nightmare, and he would calm her down without waking her, and then leave with out a word.

He only fell asleep in her bed one other time. He woke up and apparated home, just as Hermione's mother was coming into the bedroom to wake her. He had spent the whole night there. He managed to get a full 7 hours sleep that night. It was wonderful!

Without his lack of sleep plaguing him, Harry could only think of one other thing.

How he would win her back. 

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A/N: Hey guys, sorry to leave it like that. I'll update soon, just leave me reviews. I need the motivation.

Nect chapter: Hermione returns, and Mackenzie makes another appearance...


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